Blog - Dr. Kim Blackham

5 Reasons Why You Should Join the AMA Alliance

by Dr. Kim Blackham

Last month I had the privilege of speaking about Medical Marriages at the national 2015 AMA Alliance Annual Meeting. This was my first real experience with the alliance and I have to admit, it was different than I expected.

(Donna Rovito on the left and Briana Wessell on the right)

Let me back up a little bit. My husband just started his PGY9 year. That means he has been in medical training now for almost 13 years – four years of medical school, 5 years of residency, 2 years of research, and now finishing 2 years of fellowship. Yet, in all that time, I had never heard about the AMA Alliance until Donna Rovito reached out to me a year ago about writing for Physician Family Blog and Magazine.

Balancing My Marriage and a Scalpel: Lessons Learned as a General Surgery Resident that Kept My Medical Marriage from Exsanguinating

by Dr. Kim Blackham

All bleeding stops…eventually. So the saying goes.

Medical residency is tough–it’s physically, emotionally and intellectually exhausting. The demands of medical training consume our time and our energy. It’s the nature of the beast. Add in a marriage and maybe a few kids (we have four) and finding balance between medical training and family relationships can become a daunting challenge. Continue Reading

Balancing My Marriage and a Scalpel | Medical Marriage Tip #1

by Dr. Kim Blackham

Acknowledge Your Spouse’s Sacrifice

After a year or two of medical school, I recognized my wife’s life would have been much easier had I chosen a different career. Our college friends had graduated and within a few years had solid jobs, new cars, fancy homes and a 40 hour work week. The years of poverty, the unpredictable schedule, the long hours and stress of it all affected my spouse as much as, and often more than, it affected me. Continue Reading