Mary Reynolds, M.D. (MED ’98)

Board Member

(originally published in 2015)

Family Physician

Rocky Mountain Urgent Care

Westminster, Colorado

“Mayo Clinic School of Medicine is like the Disneyland of medical schools. Where else can you learn neurology in a class of 10 students, taught by the physician who wrote your textbook?”

 

• Residency: Family Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Medical School: Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
• Undergraduate: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
• Native of: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Why did you decide to pursue medicine?

Medicine is a second career for me. Medicine was always a part of my life as a child both because my father is a physician and I have a congenital medical condition (cleft lip and palate) that required frequent doctor visits and hospitalizations. When I went to college I swore I would never go near a hospital again. But after I was working for a while, I missed being part of something that mattered deeply to people.

Why did you train at Mayo Clinic?

Mayo Clinic School of Medicine is like the Disneyland of medical schools. Where else can you learn neurology in a class of 10 students, taught by the physician who wrote your textbook?

What was your initial impression of Mayo Clinic?

I was struck by how enthusiastic our instructors were. We were treated as future colleagues, and they loved sharing their knowledge with us.

How does Mayo Clinic influence your practice?

Mayo taught me how to focus on the art and science of medicine first. The business aspect, while necessary, is second.

What valuable lesson did you learn at Mayo Clinic?

I learned to listen to my patients. The best moments in medicine are when you make a connection with your patient, and both of you come away changed.

What do you do in your spare time?

Most of my time is spent with my 3-year-old daughter. I hope to get her on the ski slopes this year.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I was a writer for TV Guide in New York City for three and a half years before I went to medical school. I wrote cable movie listings.