ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Janet T. Strausbaugh ’78-A

I grew up in a medical family. My Dad, Gordon W. Thompson ’48, (Alumni Association president from ’82–’83) was an internist, with a special interest in pulmonology. As a child, I thought I would like to be a doctor, but had few female physician role models. My pathway was through a BSRN at LLU, then while I worked as an RN, I took the required premed classes. After medical school graduation, I did a pediatrics residency at LLUMC, then went to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and did a fellowship in pediatric critical care, then to UPenn for an anesthesia residency, then back to CHOP to complete pediatric anesthesia and critical care. My career includes working in a large anesthesia group, then in a large pediatric group, and then for the last 10 years of my career as an academic pediatric hospitalist at CHOP.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR STUDENTS AND YOUNG PHYSICIANS?

My advice for young physicians: Medicine is a calling, not just a job. You have to love people. I learned over my career that practicing pediatrics is therapeutic for the physician, and I learned so much from caring for my patients. My goal was always to give excellent patient care; this is achievable and most rewarding.

WHAT IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL PART OF RETIREMENT FOR YOU?

The most rewarding part of retirement is just having the time to do things I enjoy and be in a geographic location—the Florida Keys—that rewards me with a great outdoor life and being near the ocean, which is truly good for the soul. I am not bound by having to get up often before 6 a.m. to get to work on the bus when it’s snowing and icy. I don’t have to do overnight call, work on holidays, and it’s wonderful to be able to always get to sleep all night! I enjoy being with my husband and doing many activities with him. I love visiting with friends, my siblings, my wonderful children, and three beautiful grandchildren, and I am blessed to witness my children being good parents.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR SPECIALTY?

I chose pediatrics because I love kids and I like to teach parents how to take care of their children. I am also procedurally oriented, and loved being able to draw labs, do LPs, start IVs, and do IV hydration in the office or at the hospital. I chose pediatric anesthesia and critical care because I wanted to learn how to take the best care of every patient, no matter how sick.

WHAT WAS A MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER WHEN A PERSON’S KINDNESS IMPACT YOU?

I learned I had received feedback from a specialist physician I was collaborating with in taking care of a brain damaged, unresponsive adolescent patient. I greeted the patient by name, spoke to him throughout my exam, told him what I was doing, and what we were going to do. Later the specialist physician wrote in a letter to my leadership that I was a compassionate clinician and that she had learned from me how to care for an unresponsive patient.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE RECEIVED?

The best advice ever given to me: Pick your battles and don’t get into a “pissing contest” with a skunk.