Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Deborah Houk.
Hi Dr. Houk, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Professionally, I am a board certified Internal Medicine doctor who works as an inpatient hospitalist, an executive committee member for an independent practice, and as a medical expert and content writer. As a doctor in the hospital setting, I try to truly understand my patients, their disease process, and where they’re coming from, so that I can give them the most thoughtful, individualized, yet evidence-based care possible. As an executive committee member, I help physicians improve their business practices and expand their reach to more potential patients. As a medical expert and content writer, I try to give insight towards the patient’s perspective, making sure to tackle topics that are relevant to patients and their families and provide content that is as informative as it is inspiring.
Tell us about your journey to become a doctor.
It honestly started when I was born… because I’m told that in the hospital when I was a newborn, a nurse walked in and said that I was going to become a doctor. I took that prophecy and ran with it through school all the way until I obtained my medical doctorate. The road wasn’t easy though; it was filled with challenges, naysayers, and roadblocks. When I was in high school in Carrollton, TX, I was told by guidance counselors and others who didn’t know me well that my aspirations to get into Stanford University were too high. Luckily, I still submitted my application and was admitted! In college, again, I was challenged tremendously, but again I overcame the odds and not only graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I also earned my master’s degree within 4 years. When I took the MCAT exam (a prerequisite for getting into medical school), I was faced with low resources compared to my peers. Instead of giving up because I didn’t have the best materials and books to study from, I was able to find a 10-year-old, abandoned MCAT study book and studied that to help me pass the exam. I was admitted to GW medical school in Washington, DC, and from there, I matched at Yale for Internal Medicine Residency. Throughout my training, I was faced with many instances of external doubt, impostor syndrome, and roadblocks that seemed insurmountable, but each time, rather than give up, I found ways to overcome and reach my goals.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
The process of becoming a doctor is an obstacle-ridden challenge. The workload at times seems insurmountable, burnout is real, and due to the nature of the profession, one must be “on” all the time as the risk of making the wrong decision for your patients can be deadly. One of my biggest challenges during my residency was compressing all the work I needed to do into an 80-hour work week. There were weeks where I logged 120 hours, and those are just the hours I logged… So, in order to avoid inevitable burnout, something had to change. I began working on being more mindful and efficient in all aspects of my life, and in time I learned the skills needed to finish my workday in a reasonable hour, without compromising the high standards I imposed upon my care. Being able to overcome this challenge, making efficiency and mindfulness among my many developing superpowers, has made me one of the most sought-after physicians in the hospital.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Deb Houk MD, LLC?
In addition to seeing patients in the hospital as an internal medicine physician in Naples, FL, I also offer online and telephone consultations for individualized wellness coaching and mentorship. I want to do my part in improving the health and well-being of others, and as such, I offer one-on-one coaching and mentorship. For this, I combine my one-of-a-kind medical training from the best institutions in the world with tenants from psychology, mindfulness, behavioral modifications, and life coaching to help others create healthier habits, decrease stress and anxiety, reach their potential, and live their best lives. I’ve been through a lot of challenges throughout my life and I came out triumphant. I want to help others do the same, whether they need assistance with reaching a professional goal, getting into college or graduate school, or if they’re having interpersonal issues at work or home, I can help.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Resilience is a characteristic that I feel is one of the most important to my success. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly or bounce back from life’s difficulties. Without resilience, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Empathy is another characteristic of mine that has been key to my success. My ability to empathize with others enables me to understand other people’s motivations, needs, and emotions more deeply, which helps me as their doctor, their life coach, or their friend.
Knowing that I don’t know all the answers is another essential quality of mine that is key to my success. I am a lifelong learner who is motivated to grow throughout my life. I’m always open to learning new information and actively seek it out.
Pricing:
- Initial 30-minute consultation – Free
- Intake Session – $200
- Coaching – $125 per session
Contact Info:
- Website: DebHoukMD.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/Debbiechi
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebHoukMD/
Image Credits
Pure Fotographica
