Shady Grove Fertility is proud to welcome Kate Devine, M.D., FACOG, to our physician team. Dr. Devine is seeing patients at the K Street office in Washington D.C., in addition to performing procedures in our Rockville, MD location. Dr. Devine sat down with us to talk about why she became a reproductive endocrinologist, her inspirations, and even her musical playlists:
Why did you become a doctor, in particular, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility?
My grandfather was a family doctor. He had six kids, all of whom he hoped would go into medicine. The problem, though, was that he worked so hard that – despite his best arguments as to what a fulfilling career it was – he couldn’t convince any of them to go that route. Not a single doctor in the bunch. That didn’t deter him from making his pitch to me though. He started taking me on weekend in-patient rounds with him when I was 4, and I was instantly sold. When he died suddenly of a heart attack at 65, the church where his funeral was held was overfilled. There were literally people standing outside the doors of the church to the street and 90 percent of them were his patients. I was 16 then, and it sealed the deal. Being a doctor provides a unique opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives…and what more so than helping couples start their families?
What attracted you to working internationally?
I’ve always been fascinated by different cultures, different parts of the world, different ways of doing things. And I was enthusiastic about serving populations of women who had the greatest need. Travel brings so much perspective to everyday life. I found that taking care of women in the developing world greatly enriched my medical training. I certainly benefited more from hearing stories from women on labor and delivery in Quito, Ecuador and those who traveled long distances on foot to have surgery in Niamey, Niger than they did from our encounters.
What drew you to Shady Grove Fertility?
I did my fellowship training at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH sends its fellows to rotate at Shady Grove Fertility starting from the beginning of subspecialty training, because they believe that Shady Grove Fertility is a patient-focused fertility center that practices ethical, evidence-based medicine. From my first days learning from the doctors here and watching them interact with patients, it was so obviously true. Those characteristics jump out at you the second you walk through the door, and I wanted to be a part of it. Shady Grove Fertility had the added benefit that the practice has a long history of and commitment to doing quality clinical research. They view their large volume of patient experience as an opportunity to advance the field of Reproductive Medicine, and they feel an obligation to give back to their patients by working to better understand what works best in treating infertility. Having given serious thought to a career in academic medicine, I was thrilled when they asked me to join as Co-director of Research. It’s a perfect fit–I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.
Who inspires you?
My kids: they are so brave. They just go for it.
What’s on your bucket list?
Climb to the summit of Mount Everest; hike the Overland Track in Tasmania again (my favorite hike to date); become fluent in Spanish; wine tour in South Africa with my college friends; meet my grandkids…
What are your hobbies?
Running, hiking, cycling, yoga, singing, and dancing (in my living room with my two and three year old daughters)
What musical artists are on your iPhone?
Um… everything: Ting Tings, Pixies, Postal Service, Weezer, Oasis, White Stripes, Michael Jackson, Prince, Radiohead, Beastie Boys, Bonnie Rait, Beck, The Cure. Most played are probably Raffi and the Wiggles.
Dr. Kate Devine is currently available for new patient appointments in our K Street – Washington D.C. office. To schedule your appointment, call 1-877-971-7755 or click here.
