My name is Mary Elizabeth Sutherland, but my dad started calling me Betsy almost as soon as I was born, and the nickname stuck. I am the first of seven children, born and raised in Michigan. Growing up, I was fascinated by careers in both medicine and education. In high school, I found myself drawn toward the field of education, and before I knew it, I had a degree in elementary education from Tennessee Temple University. I started my career as a third-grade teacher at a private Christian school in Georgia and loved the challenges of educating unique and complex individuals. In total, I spent three years instructing third graders and a year teaching high/middle-school math. During that time, I also developed a passion for maternal-fetal health while volunteering at a local pregnancy center.
Despite my love for teaching and students, I became a little restless and felt called to further my own education while still serving others. In my personal life, I watched as family members navigated the healthcare system dealing with life-altering diseases. Sitting in a hospital room awaiting a diagnosis for my sister, I realized, “I could be a doctor.” That announcement drastically changed my life. With the support of my family, I completed my prerequisites at Purdue North West and St. Louis University. After much hard work, I was thrilled to join St. Louis University School of Medicine, a school known for its dedication to service and social justice. In medical school, I had a leadership role in the Global Health Learning Community and was privileged to work educating healthcare professionals on human trafficking.
>My other passions include mentoring and teaching students, full-spectrum and underserved medicine, and anything related to patient care. I also love to read, explore, participate in church activities, and play with my nieces and nephews. When I interviewed at Memorial, I was impressed by its dedication to rigorous full-spectrum training, international medicine and meeting the needs of the underserved. The program immediately became the program to which I compared all others. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and serve with the people of Memorial Family Medicine Residency.
