Dr. Rachel Shober: Eliot Goldings Award in Rheumatology
As a future family practitioner, Dr. Rachel Shober maintained an interest in rheumatology throughout her pre-clerkship classes and took the Rheumatology elective to improve her understanding of diseases she will likely see as a primary care provider. This year’s winner of the Eliot Goldings Award in Rheumatology, she begins her medical career with a family medicine residency at Tacoma Family Medicine in Washington state.
What this award means: “I completed the UTSW Rheumatology elective in the fall of 2019 and I am honored to receive the Eliot Goldings Award in Rheumatology. The ways in which rheumatology patients present at Parkland Memorial Hospital and the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center are incredibly complex, and I enjoyed working up these ‘mystery’ cases. I also appreciate the detailed histories that rheumatologists take from patients and found talking to patients during this elective course especially fun.”
Mentor comment: “Rachel did a great job during her month on the Rheumatology consult service. She carried a significant load of patients and created evidence-based plans for her patients’ care while taking complete ownership of their rheumatology management.” – Dr. Elizabeth “Blair” Solow, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Background and family: “I grew up in Monroe, a rural town in western Washington state. My mom has been a family medicine doctor in Monroe for nearly 29 years, and my dad is a happily retired ex-Microsoft and Boeing manager who switched to being a full-time, stay-at-home dad when I was in fourth grade. My brother lives in San Francisco but will be starting medical school in the fall.”
What led to your career path: “I watched my mom form wonderful relationships with her patients as a family medicine physician. I am a ‘people person’ through and through, and I take great joy in getting to know and understand others. After college, I moved to Texas and worked as a sixth grade teacher and coach for three years before deciding to apply to medical school. Teaching and family medicine actually have many parallels, and I enjoyed all of my rotations in medical school. The combination of all these factors made family medicine an easy choice for me.”
College: “I earned a B.A. in psychology with a minor in chemistry from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. I played volleyball all four years and was our team captain during my junior and senior seasons.”
UTSW activities: “I volunteered with a variety of clubs such as the Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program (HPREP), Medical Students For Choice, and Southwestern Alliance Against Food Insecurity. During the fall of my fourth year, I helped teach second-year medical students how to perform pelvic exams and I worked as a tour guide for Medical School applicants. I am a member of the Family Medicine Interest Group and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. I enjoy playing intramural volleyball, basketball, flag football, and ultimate Frisbee.”
Surprising fact: “I love to read and write, and in another life I think I would have enjoyed being a food writer for The New York Times.”
Future plans: “I hope to practice full-spectrum family medicine at a federally qualified health center after residency.”
About the award: The award, presented to the most outstanding medical student in rheumatology, is named for Dr. Eliot A. Goldings, a former Division of Rheumatic Diseases faculty member who died in 1988. Dr. Goldings distinguished himself as a scholar, teacher, and clinician.