DELMARVA- In light of Women's History Month, WRDE is highlighting four outstanding women on the Delmarva peninsula throughout the month of March. One of those women is a local doctor who's living the 'American Dream' as the youngest daughter of immigrants and the only medical professional in her family.
Dr. Brintha Vasagar is a primary care doctor and recent program director of the Family Medicine Residency program at Bayhealth in Delaware. "From birth to end of life decisions," she said, she's always wanted to be that doctor.
"My parents are immigrants, they came from Siri Lanka when, before I was born; I was the first person in my family born in the United States and they came here in large part for their daughters to live the 'American Dream,'" she said.
Vasagar said her journey through medicine has been living proof of her parents also pursuing that dream of watching their kids grow up and be able to do anything they wanted, so long as they worked hard for it.
Originally from Philadelphia, Dr. Vasagar moved to Delaware two years ago and prides herself in being the only doctor in her family.
"It became a really natural fit for me to be a physician," she said. "I didn't really see myself running programs, I think I just wanted to see patients one-on-one but the more I realized that the health care system could be better, the more I wanted to be part of trying to fix it."
She said mental health and addiction are the top two concerns in the state of Delaware and a lot of her patients deal with such issues. Growing up and having been through some health struggles herself, she says she's come to better understand her patients and what they go through, especially when it comes to the bureaucracy of the health care system. But the journey hasn't always been an easy one.
A 2019 report from the association of American Medical Colleges revealed that women now outnumber men in medical schools with a percentage of 50.5 and yet when we think of the title of doctor we often think men.
After completing four years of college, followed by four years of medical school and three years of residency, Dr. Vasagar said even after acquiring her title, she's faced some hardships from within.
"There have certainly been times during my career where I am the only female, or the only person that's under the age of 40, or the only person of color and I have to say that it's really thanks to the mentors and bosses along the way that have made a space for my voice, that I've felt like 'hey my voice matters, and my opinion on these things matters,'" she said.
And she certainly keeps that in mind when training incoming doctors and nurses.
"That's something I really take to heart in mentoring the next generation, to make sure that they realize that the variety and diversity of experiences and ideas that we all have, that's what creates the best outcomes," Dr. Vasagar stated.
Vasagar said she is involved in the new residency program at Bayhealth, which is set to launch in June for the practice and residents will start in July. Family Medicine Residency will have a total of eight residents in each year for three years, with the goal of having 24 new doctors coming out of the program every year once they are at full capacity.Â
Enthusiasm, patience and thoughtfulness are factors she said have and continue to shape her life.Â