Q&A with Dr. Chiang
Q&A with Dr. Chiang
Sophie Baldwin, 6/13/24
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What is your name and job?
Silvia Chiang, MD
Pediatric infectious disease physician
Attending at Hasbro Children's Hospital
What is your background?
Raised in Houston, TX
Received undergraduate degree from Stanford University
Applied to medical school senior year of college but did not get in
Took three gap years working for the Peace Corps in Peru and at a clinical research job
Began medical school at 25 at Case Western Reserve University
Gap years made me a more mature student
Why did you decide to pursue medicine?
Knew I wanted to pursue medicine in 8th grade
Medicine is a way to address social change and disparities
What are your day-to-day responsibilities and typical caseload?
Currently conducting pediatric Tuberculosis research in Brazil
Underserved demographic in Brazil
In the US, I was on clinical service 8 weeks a year evaluating possible infectious diseases in children and working with other physicians
Worked 2-3 new cases each day in an in-patient setting
Worked in a Tuberculosis clinic two Thursdays a month
About 30-35% of my time is spent practicing clinical medicine, 50% is doing research, and 15-20% is training physicians
What is most exciting about your job?
Constantly learning and being challenged, especially in research
What is one moment in your career that made you appreciate medicine?
About 8 years ago, I began treating a six-year-old girl with a rare genetic disorder that made her get very sick after the Tuberculosis vaccine
She was hospitalized for 2 years in a hospital in Peru that was a 24-hour drive away from her famiy
A group of physicians and I raised money for her to come to the United States and participate in clinical trial at the NIH
She was ultimately cured with a bone marrow transplant from her father
If you could go back and choose a different specialty, would you? Why or why not?
No; I feel very lucky because this is my dream job
What was the most difficult aspect of your journey to medicine?
Not getting into med school the first time I applied was very emotionally difficult
Working as a resident is exhausting
I worked for a year as an attending between residency and fellowship; this was difficult because it could feel like there was no one above me to turn to
How are you able to manage a work-life balance?
It is difficult to balance being a researcher and a mother
It is important to have outlets- I play the piano
Know your limits in different aspects of life
What is your advice to students interested in pursuing medicine?
It’s a long journey and a game of endurance
You have to really want it; it is very work-intensive
Do not enter medicine for money or prestige
Do not get discouraged or caught up in small things along the way
There are many careers in medicine: research, teaching, consulting, etc.
Be open to constantly learning new things
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