Alumni Profile: Michelle Drobny
Michelle Drobny, DO
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest
Class of 2016
Current Practice: Spokane Teaching Health Clinic, Family Medicine Residency
Residency: Puyallup Tribal Authority, Family Medicine (Tacoma, WA)
Board of Trustee: Spokane County Medical Society
As each of us knows, home is the place where you always feel comfortable. For WesternU alumna, Michelle Drobny, DO ’16, home is the Pacific Northwest.
“I grew up in Southern Oregon and always knew I would stay in the area. It kept me close to family and friends. A support network is so important,” Drobny said. “One thing I remember about being a student at COMP-Northwest was how the medical community was supportive and welcoming. They put on student events in Portland which allowed us time away with our friends and a way to meet other medical students from the area. It made me feel like I mattered, and that people wanted me to succeed.”
Completing clinical rotations in the area helped Drobny figure out where she might want to land for residency and for her career. As she began her residency, she was also laying the foundation of a new home, a career home that she embraces with appreciation and passion – providing patient care and training physicians.
“Initially after residency I was providing direct patient care in an outpatient setting. What I realized was that I wanted to have a broader reach on both the health care system as a whole and patient care so I decided to transition to academic medicine by becoming a faculty family physician.” Drobny said. “I still do direct patient care while also having time to work on curriculum development, program improvements, and leadership development. One of the curriculums I oversee is Health Systems Management so I can work with the residents to explore different models of care.”
She encourages future residents to keep an open mind to all the aspects of family medicine because after residency, that will give you the most opportunities and freedom to practice where and how you want.
“Getting a full scope during training allows you to keep doors open,” Drobny said. “Things like leadership roles, involvement in public health, nursing home care, inpatient medicine, obstetrics, and teaching can add diversity to your career and contribute to a more fulfilling job.”
And it must be said, every good home has a set of values. For Drobny, these values bring happiness and purpose.
“I am passionate about promoting work-life balance, nurturing leadership abilities, fostering faculty development, and building resiliency,” she said. “These areas of focus contribute to creating well-rounded and compassionate health care professionals.”