For most new OB/GYNs, the next step after residency is clear: private practice or fellowship. But for Dr. Ayita Verna, choosing to become an OB hospitalist with Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG) immediately after residency was “the best career choice [she] ever made.”
Now practicing at Baptist Health in South Florida, Dr. Verna is proof that the path less traveled can lead to greater fulfillment. After having her first daughter during residency, she knew she needed a career that supported both her passion for women’s health and her mental wellbeing. “I love my work, but I also love motherhood. I love being present, and I had to decide what I wanted for my mental health and my happiness,” she says.
When she first heard about OB hospitalist medicine during her fourth year of residency, it sounded too good to be true: 24-hour shifts followed by several days off, no on-call burden, and the ability to truly disconnect when not at the hospital. “Coming straight from residency to work as a hospitalist is such a huge contrast,” she says. “You just don’t have to suffer all the time. You should work hard, but you should also be sane and happy.”
Dr. Verna has found not only the flexibility to spend time with her family, but also the autonomy to continue growing her career. She picks up one day a week at a community health center, treats underserved patients, sharpens her emergency surgical skills, and even assists private physicians when she wants more procedural experience. “The biggest thing I’ve learned as a hospitalist is that the world is your oyster,” she says.
Now in her second year with OBHG, Dr. Verna encourages other young physicians to explore this route, especially right out of residency. “I love my career, so I’m really happy about my decision. If an OB hospitalist sounds like the right fit for you, go for it.”
Want to learn more about her journey—and why she’s never looked back? Read her full story here.