Page 23

20217AR

to multitask and switch gears with each chirp of her phone. Before leaving her office for the clinic, she grabs treats from her motivation jars: one sweet, one salty, one savory. Tomei’s office opens onto the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Trisha O'Brien Pavilion, a communal gathering space for patients and families. It’s an environment akin to Wonka’s inventing room. Lever-andpulley displays whir and buzz as Tomei hustles past purple staircases and into the elevator, painted to resemble a leafy bush. As she walks, she answers emails, fields questions from peers and schedules appointments for later. On an average clinic day, Tomei sees 20 patients. She has a few minutes in between each visit, which she uses to eat lunch, enter notes from her last visit and review the case for her next patient. She calls her career demanding but ultimately satisfying. “A bad day for me can be horrible and emotionally taxing,” she says. “When I look at what I’ve accomplished on good days, there is far more good than bad. Knowing the difference I’ve made on the good days is what keeps me going.” In a small, white examination room overlooking the snow-capped towers of University Hospital, Tomei bounces a toddler on her knee while explaining her recommended plan of action to his parents. After answering every question the parents could think to ask, she turns to the child: “Is that OK, buddy?” His cheeks flush as a smile spreads over his face. He nods to Tomei enthusiastically. “What I do is so nuanced, and the areas I’m working around can either improve someone’s life or devastate them,” Tomei says. “The understanding and respect that these families place in my hands maintains the feeling that I must be at the top of my game. I’ll never lose that idea that this is someone’s child, and I can impact their life forever.” 02 04 03 ///////////////// 03 Dori Hauser, left, and Dr. Tomei share a special patient-doctor bond. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAUSER FAMILY 04 Baby Leah's check-up with Dr. Tomei includes a few smiles and laughs. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// floridaphysician.med.ufl.edu SUMMER 2 0 1 7 | 21


20217AR
To see the actual publication please follow the link above