Washington University Physicians - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Physician Quick Search
By Name:
By Specialty:
Your Healthy Update

Like us on Facebook
Text Size: S M L
Search

Share

Focus on Melvin Blanchard, MD

Dr. Melvin Blanchard is chief of the Division of Medical Education, director of the Internal Medicine Residency program and associate professor of medicine.

What happened in the course of schooling to make you choose your specialty?

When I was in medical school, I felt myself pulled in many directions. Surgery, ob-gyn, neurology, I enjoyed all of these specialties. As a matter of fact, I had requested my dean write letters for both neurology and ob-gyn because I could not make a decision. But as my training pursued, it became clear that internal medicine was the field for me. One, it treats adults and two; I was able to take care of patients in a variety of settings. Almost any patient that would come along, I would able to provide care. So the internist has the opportunity to treat any patient regardless of what his problem is. In addition, there is a lot of thinking that goes into adult medicine, a lot of cerebral activity; I thought that this field fit me much better than any of the other fields.

I enjoy science and the ability to think patheophysiologically, think about the patient’s presentation, put them together and make a diagnosis and come up with a treatment plan and take ownership to help a patient through his illness, is what attracted me to this field.


What brought you to Washington University?

My medical training was primarily from the south. I went to medical school at the University of Tennessee. I originally came from the Caribbean, and I was fearful of the cold. I was looking for a university that was outstanding, below certain global latitude and Washington University was the best, so that is why I came here.

What part of the Caribbean are you from?

I am from a small island called St. Kitts.

Do you have any family that still lives in St. Kitts?

Yes. My mother and father are still there. I also have a large number of brothers and sisters scattered throughout the world.

What aspect of your practice is most interesting?

I like taking care of patients that come from a variety of backgrounds, with a variety of problems and then providing relief for them, gives me satisfaction. Also, I find interesting is how to prevent some of the diseases I encounter.

What do physicians in Medical Education do? Do you all see patients?

Medical Education is a division within the department of Internal Medicine. We are focused on educating physicians. We have a structure for educating medical students, interns and residents in internal medicine. We organize education utilizing other division’s specialties and we also spend some time attending the inpatient service and the clinic.

Is this where the House Staff comes into play?

Correct. We have 150 residents that take care of all of the third and fourth year medical students. And also there is some teaching of the second year medical students.

Do the medical students come to you for guidance as for what field to choose or are they pretty well set in their path or the direction of their future?

Some of our students have a particular interest already from prior exposure to someone in the medical field. Some cases, the reason some individuals are in medical school is because it was something they wanted to do, but most of our students are undifferentiated, they are seeking and rotate through the a variety of services, medical subspecialties, surgery, surgical subspecialties, neurology. They are looking for a good fit. We hope that they will choose internal medicine and we encourage them to do that because it is such a rewarding field.

What developments in your field are you most excited about?

Internal medicine is a very broad field. If I were to point one thing that has become prominent recently is evidence based medicine. We now have the techniques and understanding to interpret and utilize data and results of various studies that are vital to our patients. Just because something that shows up on a web site or in a journal that says it is the latest thing or the best thing for your patient; it does not necessarily mean so. You have to dig into that study, understand the design of the study, the methods and take the results and determine if they are really and truly meaningful.

Which particular award or achievement is most gratifying to you?

Yes. I received a wonderful award. It is the Clinical Teacher of the Year Award for 2005-2006. I was selected by the class of 2006, Washington University School of medicine.

What do you do when you are not working?

I do so many things. I spend time with my family, which is quite rewarding. I enjoy the spring time. I do gardening and spend time is the soil and planting. I enjoy the cladium flower. It is a shade plant. I like to build retaining walls for my gardens.
I also get involved in the community. Since I have been an intern here at Washington University, I have initiated Health Fairs in poor communities around the city and every year since then, I’ve worked with a church that puts a fair on and I have lead the health component of the fair. It is quite rewarding. I am active in my church. I travel around the country a few times a year speaking engagements at churches talking about health, wellness and disease prevention.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

When I was in school, a statement that was made to me was, ‘Good. Better. Best. Never let it rest until good is better and better is best.’ I have kept that because it can be applied to anything.

What lifestyle change could most benefit our health?

I think that lifestyle change is the key word. I like to think of the body as a glass. People need to change their eating habits, exercise on a regular basis, getting fresh air, sunlight and being outdoors, getting adequate sleep and sufficient water; very basic things. Also relating with others and social interaction.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes. One portion of my life since I have been at Washington University has been spent at the VA. After I finished my residency I spent a decade there and found some excellent mentors here at WU that helped me build a research career. I found that time quite rewarding. Over the years, the VA has made remarkable strides in healthcare.

See All Featured Physicians
Washington University Physicians are the medical staff of  Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Children's Hospital - St. Louis Employment   About Us   Top Stories   For Your Protection      Site Map
Copyright 2013 Washington University School of Medicine
Copyright 2013 Washington University School of Medicine