Mara Hazeltine, 2018 recipient of the Dr. Burr Field Scholarship

University of Washington School of Medicine, Class of 2019

Hometown:  Spokane, Washington

Undergraduate: University of Washington Seattle, studied Psychology

Favorite clinical rotation:  It is truly hard to choose a favorite clinical rotation, which is one of the reasons why I chose Family Medicine! Pediatrics was a particularly memorable clerkship for me in Bozeman, Montana. I rotated both inpatient and outpatient, in the NICU, PICU, and emergency room. I also spent time with the public health nurses who provided home visits to pregnant moms who couldn’t make it to clinic.  We visited rural schools to help with immunizations.  It was incredible to see how all the pieces fit together – how we as providers can utilize broader systems to help our patients wherever they are in their lives.  I believe that children deserve the best shot at success we can give them, and if we can help families make thoughtful decisions, they can flourish. 

What draws you to Family Medicine?  After college, I taught math in a low-income middle school.  I went into medicine with the intention of providing healthcare to families like those of the children in my classroom – the kids who came to school coughing for weeks on end, or with broken bones that went untreated due to their families being uninsured or fearful of deportation.  Although education can be a “great equalizer,” good health is the foundation that allows students to be able to focus and thrive in school.  My time spent in underserved communities both before and during medical school has reinforced my passion for preventative medicine and addressing social determinants of health.  Family doctors and are well-positioned to make a real and lasting difference in their patients’ lives and in their communities over a lifetime.  They see the big picture and treat the whole person.

Anything else you want people to know about you?  It is a true honor to receive this scholarship in recognition of a doctor who touched so many lives.  Learning about Dr. Burr Field’s impact was inspiring.  From being a warm father, husband, brother and son, to dedicating his life to rural medicine, and facing hardship with courage and faith, he led a rich life and was obviously loved by many.  I look forward to following in the footsteps of great leaders like him.  I will strive to serve my community in a way that would have made Dr. Field proud.