Q&A with Dr. Illath
Q&A with Dr. Illath
Noreen Majeed, 5/1/24
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What is your name and job?
Jaseela Illath, MD, Internist and Geriatrician
What was your background?
Medical school in Germany
Internal Medicine Residency in Greensboro, NC
Wake Forest Baptise Hospital, NC Geriatric Fellowship
Currently working at Duke Primary Care Outpatient Clinic
Completing Transformation of Primary Care at Duke University Fellowship at the same time (2 year program)
What are your day-to-day responsibilities and typical caseload?
Providing cardiovascular risk and management
Memory loss diagnosis and management
Psychiatric disorder medication management and counseling
Orthopedic injury evaluation
18 patients a day: physical exam, labs (bloodwork, EKG)
What is most exciting about your job?
Stories patients bring: for example: a patient who played chess with Albert Einstein
Reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases
Cancer risk and prevention
Why did you decide to pursue medicine?
To make a change in people’s lives and help people live more fruitful life by improving their physical health
What is one moment in your career that made you appreciate medicine?
Revive patient in cardiac arrest
If you could go back and choose a different specialty, would you? Why or why not?
Yes
Go into pediatric cardiology
What was the most difficult aspect of your journey to medicine?
Having discussions about incubation with family
Telling people difficult diagnoses such as cancer
Night shifts in hospital
How are you able to manage a work-life balance?
Not overthinking
Prioritize family at certain points and work at others
Do not forget personal physical and mental health
What is your advice to students interested in pursuing medicine?
Resilience
Open-mindedness
Empathy
Goal oriented
Look for community programs for hospital rotations or find a doctor to shadow
Work with seniors or volunteer work
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