Jennifer Caudle, D.O.

This week’s Minority Women in Medicine highlight goes to Dr. Jennifer Caudle. I had the pleasure of doing a phone interview with her this evening, and she truly is a wonderful and inspirational individual. I made sure to ask her questions which I thought would be extremely helpful to female minority students considering osteopathic medicine and her answers can be found below underneath her biography.

Biography (summarized from website)

 Dr. Caudle is an osteopathic physician board-certified in family medicine. She graduated from Princeton University with honors, and attended medical school at UMDNJ – School of Osteopathic Medicine. She is also currently an assistant professor at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. In addition to this she serves as an on-air health expert for CNN and other networks, has written numerous articles for many well-known publications, plays the cello, and presents many workshops across the country. She is also the spokesperson for the American Osteopathic Association. The above is a brief summary of her complete biography which can be found HERE.

What made you want to become a physician?

Dr. Caudle’s major inspiration in wanting to become a physician was her family doctor when she was younger. She was amazed by the bedside manner that her physician exhibited, along with routine activities such as prescription writing and how her physician was able to determine exactly what was wrong and fix the problem. She also loved talking to and interacting with people, and she had a passion for science. This eventually led to her shadowing her physician and various other physicians over the years as a way to explore her options and learn more about the field of medicine.

Were you a non-traditional student or re-applicant?

Dr. Caudle did not attend medical school immediately after college. She participated in pageants, and during her senior year at Princeton University she earned the title of Miss Iowa. After graduation she spent the year preparing for and competing in the Miss America Pageant. It was during this year that she heavily traveled and also applied to medical school. She was accepted into UMDNJ – School of Osteopathic Medicine that year, but she took another year off to continue her public speaking work and to pursue an opportunity working for MTV Networks in New York City before she officially matriculated into medical school.

Why did you choose to attend an osteopathic school? 

Like so many others, Dr. Caudle started out not knowing what osteopathic medicine was and assumed it focused on the study of bones. Because of this, she had initially only planned to apply to allopathic schools. It was after graduating from college though when she found out that the family physician who she admired growing up was an osteopathic physician. Her mother mentioned this fact to her one day, and Dr. Caudle was determined to learn more. She fell in love with the philosophy of osteopathic medicine along with the training that included osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT). In addition to this, she also felt that osteopathic medicine was a great fit for her personality.

Why did you choose the specialty/field that you are in?

Originally, Dr. Caudle wanted to become a dermatologist. When she entered her third and fourth years of medical school, she did rotations in family medicine and decided that it fit her personality and interests more. She loves how family medicine exposes her to different patients, different stories, and different scenarios. Dr. Caudle also really values the diversity and wide scope of medical conditions that her field presents her with. Her favorite part of the field is getting to know families of her patients and in a sense, becoming a part of the same families that she treats.

How do you maintain a positive life-work balance?

Dr. Caudle said that sometimes she works more than what she would like, and although it can sometimes be hard, she absolutely loves it. In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. Caudle is also a weekly on-air health expert for CNN, and she has had appearances on CBS and the Dr. OZ show. She is constantly educating individuals both in and out of the office, but she manages to balance it all with ease. When I asked her about how she handles it all, she stated that the trick is finding your niche or something that you can keep up with, and giving it your all.

What advice would you give to other minority females pursuing medicine?

Follow your heart and what is in your heart’s desire. If medicine is not for you, then do not pursue it. If medicine is for you, then fight for it, show your passion, and give it your all. Keep your dream and goal in mind, and stay committed.

Where can we find out more information about you?

For more information on Dr. Caudle, please check out the following sources:

Personal Website: http://www.jennifercaudle.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/drjennifercaudle

Twitter: @DrJenCaudle

Instagram: @DrJenCaudle

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. CAUDLE FOR INTERVIEWING WITH ME AND CONTRIBUTING TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A TRUE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR MYSELF AND MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS CONSIDERING OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE.