What part of medicine fascinates you the most?
People are so complex. What it takes to connect with someone and build a relationship – it’s not about asking the right questions, it’s about HOW you ask the questions. Connecting symptoms to pathology, given how complex and unique every person is – that’s what I find as the most challenging and most fascinating. I also love how you learn about your world. A few weeks ago, I saw someone who came in with headaches and learned that her family was connected to the earthquake in Haiti. Seeing firsthand how people’s life experiences connect with the experiences people have in their bodies – sometimes in very tragic ways and oftentimes with great resiliency.
If you could have dinner with anyone in history that made a positive impact on healthcare, who would it be?
A lot of people came to mind for this, but if I had to pick one it would be Salaria Kea, an African American nurse and desegregation activist who volunteered in the Spanish Civil War to fight for freedom against fascism. She was doing all this in the early part of the 20th century and I would love to learn from her wisdom and hear her insights on how health workers can engage in solidarity with struggles for liberation and social justice today.
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
If you spend time with me in the spring and summer, you’ll find that I am really good at finding four leaf clovers. I trained myself to recognize them for hours when I was a kid, and now I can spot them while walking down the street.
What do you like to do in your “spare” time? (if you have any!)
It’s funny, there are pre-COVID and post COVID answers. I like to explore my neighborhood and when I’m running, walking or biking. I like to observe nature, watch plants, birds, and the direction of the sun. I spend a lot of time with my family, friends and their kids – I enjoy dancing, going to community events and meeting people.
Juliana Morris, MD, EdM, is a family physician at the Chelsea Health Center of Massachusetts General Hospital.