As the incoming co-chief resident, Dr. Caroline Germany looks forward to interacting more and making a difference with her co-residents and junior residents, particularly in the supportive atmosphere she has found at Vanderbilt. Though she once envisioned herself to be a surgeon, she discovered that the problem solving and patient interaction involved in neurology was her true calling. On her days off, you’ll find her horseback riding, reading, or spending time with her husband, friends, and pets.
Tell us a little about your background.
I’m originally from Louisiana. I was born in Shreveport. I went to Tulane for undergrad and went back to Shreveport for medical school. After that I was ready to be out of Louisiana, so I was glad I matched up here at Vanderbilt.
Why is neurology interesting to you?
I was a neuroscience major at Tulane, but I wanted to be a surgeon for the first half of medical school and was just convinced that was what I was going to do. I did a neurology rotation and enjoyed the problem solving aspects of it, but at that point I still thought I was going to be a surgeon. Then I got into the OR and hated it. I had to take some time to come to terms with the fact that it was just not for me. I remembered how much I had liked neurology—really thinking about the problems and how to fix them, while surgery was mostly very mechanical.
Talking to patients and working with them was a big part I enjoyed as well that I didn’t see as much in the surgical specialties.
How have you faced any challenges in residency so far?
I have had a lot of support from my husband and my family. My husband has been really supportive and never complains about the long hours I have to work. But now that I’m a senior and not on call as much, he says how great it is that he gets to spend more time with me! Some of the challenges that have come up would be things like dealing with hard patient situations—difficult diagnoses or patient interactions. And with the long hours, little things build up over time, but having someone to talk to and vent really helps.
Do you anticipate any special provocations from your role as chief resident?
I am the administrative chief so I’m managing everyone’s call schedule and making sure it’s even and fair. So far it’s been challenging but doable. I’m looking forward to having a leadership role and maybe making some changes that I otherwise wouldn’t be confident about making if I wasn’t chief resident. Getting to know my co-residents and junior residents will be really beneficial too since I’ll have more interaction with them than I might otherwise.
What do you like best about working at Vanderbilt?
Everybody is just so willing to help. I’ve rarely had a situation where there was difficulty getting help with a patient or other clinical duties, or sometimes even personal things. In [the Neurology Department] specifically, there’s a feeling of camaraderie amongst the subspecialties. Everyone wants to help everyone learn and help take care of their patients.
The location is also a big plus. I love being in this part of the country—the landscape is very different than I’m used to in Louisiana. There are hills, lots of greenery, exposed rock, and nice weather.
Any thoughts on what life will look like beyond residency?
I will be staying at Vanderbilt for a neuromuscular fellowship!. After fellowship, hopefully, I’ll have a practice with some combination of neuromuscular and general neurology. To me, neuromuscular is the epitome of why I liked neurology. It’s all about the physical exam, the EMG, and the nerve conduction study (NCS), so you can really localize the problem. It’s very immediate in terms of patient interaction and you can usually talk to them about the diagnosis right away. There is lots of research going on about new treatments for neuromuscular disorders that’s just fascinating and hopeful.
What does an ideal day off look like for you?
A big thing I like to do is horseback riding. So an ideal day would be going to ride then having brunch or lunch somewhere local or maybe meeting up with friends. At some point I may have said going to a movie, but that’s obviously limited right now! Other than that, just relaxing and maybe taking the dog for a walk.
What other interests or hobbies do you enjoy?
I love to read. More specifically, I like fantasy and science fiction. I’ve been reading this series by Robin Hobb—the Elderlings Series. I caught up with it during COVID! I also have two pets, a cat and a dog.
Which of the faculty attendings would you want to have a beer with?
Probably Dr. Zimmerman or Dr. Milligan. Dr. Zimmerman is my clinic attending, and Dr. Milligan is a neurohospitalist.
