Following his Passion—One Physician's Journey

Todd Ivey, M.D., tells medical students that physicians should feel honored to have the opportunity to touch lives in ways most people are never able to do. His patients will tell you that Ivey practices what he preaches through his above-and-beyond actions.

Todd Ivey, M.D., tried them all before he opted for medical school and a career as an obstetrician-gynecologist. He never regretted that decision.

"You cannot imagine how incredible it feels to have the first hands to touch a baby and bring new life into the world," said Ivey, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine and a physician at the Baylor Clinic. "I get to be the first person to wish a baby happy birthday and I do it almost every time. It's a privilege."

Cultivating his Passion for Medicine

"When I was growing up in the rural south, my parents always thought being a doctor would be a prestigious field for my two sisters and me, but they never pushed us in that direction," said Ivey, who is from Tallulah, Louisiana, a town of approximately 9,000 residents. "It's funny because all three of us now work in medical-related professions."

One sister is a pharmacist who later became a doctor, the other a social worker, he said.

In high school and before college, he tried radio as a career and even worked at Dairy Queen.

"In college (on scholarship at Northeast Louisiana University, now the University of Louisiana at Monroe), I knew that I had this passion for medicine," said Ivey. "I thought I was going into nurse anesthesia, but I decided I really wanted to go on to medical school."

Upon graduation from college, Ivey worked as a registered critical care nurse for two years while he finished his prerequisites for medical school.

Several years later, Ivey was a student at Louisiana State University Medical School in Shreveport pursuing that goal. A clinical rotation in obstetrics-gynecology sparked a change of heart and a change of direction.

"I had such a great time studying obstetrics. I thoroughly enjoyed the work and the patients. The field was just very interesting to me," said Ivey. "I continued my other rotations, but none ignited my passion like obstetrics and gynecology. After the gynecology portion, there was no question."

After finding his passion, it was time for Ivey to choose the place where he would do his residency. Houston was on the top of his list and he was happy to be accepted into a program at The University of Texas at Houston.

He quickly took to the new city and enjoyed the diverse community that embraced the arts, he said.

After completing his residency program, he tried a gynecologic oncology research fellowship.

"I realized I needed to have both components of our field," said Ivey. "I missed obstetrics too much. I need the balance of both."

Ivey spent several years in private practice before joining the BCM faculty four years ago.

Patient Reputation

Ivey's passion for the field is obvious to anyone, but most notably to his patients, whose needs and desires are top priority.

One of Ivey's long-time patients admits she first thought, "Gosh, it takes so long to get an appointment," but she quickly realized the quality time he devoted to his patients.

"On many occasions, Dr. Ivey has gone completely beyond the scope of what he was required to do as a physician," said Donna Davis, one of his patients. "He is very compassionate. I have had three miscarriages. He was so gentle, took note about the type of person I was and picked the right approach for taking care of me."

Donna and her husband Barry are now the proud parents of a three year-old daughter named Maddie.

Partnering with the Patient

"It's the patient and you working together against a problem," said Ivey. "Sometimes it just takes two people committed to work on the problem and you achieve success."

"How do you provide services that have a balance and build that important level of trust?" said Ivey. "This is a very personal field. We want to maintain patient satisfaction and make sure they have a good experience."

Team Work

Ivey credits the solid foundation of his team and fellow faculty members in obstetrics and gynecology who aid in this effort, he said.

"We have to work together as a team and we are very good at doing that," he said. "We have one of the strongest generalist divisions of any ob/gyn department in the nation."

Ivey said he and his colleagues are excited about the future of BCM obstetrics and gynecology, specifically the partnership with Texas Children's Hospital and the new Maternity Center, scheduled to open in 2011.

"From the beginning, this has been a very exciting project," said Ivey. He and his colleagues have taken part in the project from the ground up, helping with plans and the physical layout. "I think this will truly become an internationally recognized fetal center."

Professor Ivey

In addition to teaching general gynecology to second-year medical students, Ivey instructs students and residents at Ben Taub General and St. Luke's Hospitals.

In the future, Ivey wants to establish an organization to help women with limited resources and difficult pregnancies who must come to Houston to await the birth of their babies.

"There is no place for some of these women. They stay with friends, in hotels or corporate apartments," said Ivey. "It would be nice to have the resources to give them a place to stay."

Addressing the Medical Students

When speaking to medical students about their roles and duties as physicians, Ivey does not mince words.

"We are given the opportunity to touch lives in ways most people are never able to do," he said. "There are certain events that people remember in their lives. They remember getting married, and they remember the births of their children. If someone invites and trusts you to be a part of that experience, it is an incredible honor."

Cultivating his Passion for Medicine

Patient Reputation

Partnering with the Patient

Team Work

Professor Ivey

Addressing the Medical Students

Features

News

Spotlight

Briefs

Development/Alumni

Development Briefs

Volume 4, Issue 3, Winter 2008


	Following his Passion—One Physician's Journey by Glenna Picton Todd Ivey, M.D., tells medical students that physicians should feel honored to have the opportunity to touch lives in ways most people are never able to do. His patients will tell you that Ivey practices what he preaches through his above-and-beyond actions. Disc Jockey, Dairy Queen soda clerk, registered nurse. Todd Ivey, M.D., tried them all before he opted for medical school and a career as an obstetrician-gynecologist. He never regretted that decision. "You cannot imagine how incredible it feels to have the first hands to touch a baby and bring new life into the world," said Ivey, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine and a physician at the Baylor Clinic. "I get to be the first person to wish a baby happy birthday and I do it almost every time. It's a privilege." Cultivating his Passion for Medicine "When I was growing up in the rural south, my parents always thought being a doctor would be a prestigious field for my two sisters and me, but they never pushed us in that direction," said Ivey, who is from Tallulah, Louisiana, a town of approximately 9,000 residents. "It's funny because all three of us now work in medical-related professions." One sister is a pharmacist who later became a doctor, the other a social worker, he said. In high school and before college, he tried radio as a career and even worked at Dairy Queen. "In college (on scholarship at Northeast Louisiana University, now the University of Louisiana at Monroe), I knew that I had this passion for medicine," said Ivey. "I thought I was going into nurse anesthesia, but I decided I really wanted to go on to medical school." Upon graduation from college, Ivey worked as a registered critical care nurse for two years while he finished his prerequisites for medical school. "I was determined to become a cardiologist," said Ivey. Several years later, Ivey was a student at Louisiana State University Medical School in Shreveport pursuing that goal. A clinical rotation in obstetrics-gynecology sparked a change of heart and a change of direction. "I had such a great time studying obstetrics. I thoroughly enjoyed the work and the patients. The field was just very interesting to me," said Ivey. "I continued my other rotations, but none ignited my passion like obstetrics and gynecology. After the gynecology portion, there was no question." After finding his passion, it was time for Ivey to choose the place where he would do his residency. Houston was on the top of his list and he was happy to be accepted into a program at The University of Texas at Houston. He quickly took to the new city and enjoyed the diverse community that embraced the arts, he said. After completing his residency program, he tried a gynecologic oncology research fellowship. "I realized I needed to have both components of our field," said Ivey. "I missed obstetrics too much. I need the balance of both." Ivey spent several years in private practice before joining the BCM faculty four years ago. Patient Reputation Ivey's passion for the field is obvious to anyone, but most notably to his patients, whose needs and desires are top priority. One of Ivey's long-time patients admits she first thought, "Gosh, it takes so long to get an appointment," but she quickly realized the quality time he devoted to his patients. "On many occasions, Dr. Ivey has gone completely beyond the scope of what he was required to do as a physician," said Donna Davis, one of his patients. "He is very compassionate. I have had three miscarriages. He was so gentle, took note about the type of person I was and picked the right approach for taking care of me." Donna and her husband Barry are now the proud parents of a three year-old daughter named Maddie. Partnering with the Patient Establishing a partnership with patients is a key element, he said. "It's the patient and you working together against a problem," said Ivey. "Sometimes it just takes two people committed to work on the problem and you achieve success." "How do you provide services that have a balance and build that important level of trust?" said Ivey. "This is a very personal field. We want to maintain patient satisfaction and make sure they have a good experience." Team Work Ivey credits the solid foundation of his team and fellow faculty members in obstetrics and gynecology who aid in this effort, he said. "We have to work together as a team and we are very good at doing that," he said. "We have one of the strongest generalist divisions of any ob/gyn department in the nation." Ivey said he and his colleagues are excited about the future of BCM obstetrics and gynecology, specifically the partnership with Texas Children's Hospital and the new Maternity Center, scheduled to open in 2011. "From the beginning, this has been a very exciting project," said Ivey. He and his colleagues have taken part in the project from the ground up, helping with plans and the physical layout. "I think this will truly become an internationally recognized fetal center." Professor Ivey The opportunity to work with students makes the job more fulfilling, said Ivey. In addition to teaching general gynecology to second-year medical students, Ivey instructs students and residents at Ben Taub General and St. Luke's Hospitals. In the future, Ivey wants to establish an organization to help women with limited resources and difficult pregnancies who must come to Houston to await the birth of their babies. "There is no place for some of these women. They stay with friends, in hotels or corporate apartments," said Ivey. "It would be nice to have the resources to give them a place to stay." Addressing the Medical Students When speaking to medical students about their roles and duties as physicians, Ivey does not mince words. "We are given the opportunity to touch lives in ways most people are never able to do," he said. "There are certain events that people remember in their lives. They remember getting married, and they remember the births of their children. If someone invites and trusts you to be a part of that experience, it is an incredible honor."		Search all issues: Features Baylor College of Medicine in Houston: 65 years of Excellence BCM Looks to the Future on the McNair Campus Legacy of Leadership: BCM Icons Set Foundation for the Future 1,000 Genomes Project: Looking for the Differences News O'Malley Receives National Medal of Science Robert Todd Named to Lead BCM's Department of Medicine Roy Huffington Remembered as Bold and Generous Spotlight Following his Passion—One Physician's Journey The Search for Answers When Two Degrees are Better Than One: M.D. - M.P.H. Thomas Street—The Road to Health Perceiving—A new Look at Brain and Behavior Briefs Mind Games Wang Wins NIH Award Genetics Used to Personalize Heart Disease Treatment First Drug for Huntington's Disease Eye Problems from Pain Free Migraines Obesity also Causes Cirrhosis Genetic Insights into Deadly Brain Tumor Made-to-Order Weapon in the Fight Against Childhood Cancer BCM Joins Largest Children's Study Development/Alumni Minds & Medicine Campaign Update: McNair Campus gets First Tenants -- Ophthalmology Philanthropy Provided Key Assistance Gifts Help Restore Sight to Patients with Corneal Damage Alums Start Careers, Life Together at BCM Development Briefs Campaign Reaches Milestone Charitable Gifts Lead to National Recognition Trustee Chuck Watson Makes Unique Gift The Legacy and the Future

	Volume 4, Issue 3, Winter 2008



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