Hilary Roeder, MD

2013 SMFM/AAOGF Scholarship
Currently at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego

What was the most memorable part of your Foundation-funded project or experience as a Foundation awardee?

Really honing in on what it took to make a clinical research project run smoothly.  I knew it would be challenging, but through much trial and error, I finally devised a system with my team, and we became a well-oiled machine.  It was so satisfying to develop this model that I knew could move us forward.

If you received funding for a research project, are you still involved in that area of research?

No.

How did the award influence your career?

I learned that you need a great deal of protected time to dedicate to research and grant writing.  You must also commit to nights and weekends.

What lessons (e.g., personal, professional, life, etc.) did you learn that you would like to pass on to future awardees?

Too many to list!  I learned that you have to decide if research OR clinical work will be your priority for your career.  I had heard this in the past but only after participating in an intensive research experience could I make this decision.

Did you submit an abstract for #SMFM20?

No. 

Where did you do your MFM fellowship?

University of California San Diego.

What do you like best about being an MFM?

My patients.  What makes me thrive in life is making personal connections with others and I love being able to do this multiple times a day with the women I take care of.  I also love pregnancy and find it truly fascinating and allowing my patients to benefit from this passion is a great feeling.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?

I hope I will still be at Kaiser.  I'm currently on the admissions committee for the new Kaiser SOM and I hope that I will be more involved in the school and teaching students both about pregnancy and about how to maintain wellness and balance in their lives.  I also hope to continue building relationships with my colleagues at UCSD to establish some joint research projects as we have a high volume at Kaiser San Diego and it would be great to be able to use our extensive EMR for research purposes.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I have 2 young children who are the light of my life!  Parenting is a thrilling and amazing experience.