Page B4-The Chronicle, Thursday, Jai\ua Being an By ROBIN ADAMS Staff Writer Although sometimes being a doctor is a 24-hour a day job, there are times when being a doctor is merely a job and takes a back seat to husband and children. For Latham, that decision came sooner than for Brown and Lovings. In September, Latham married Dr. Kenneth Sadler, vvho is a dentist. "His being a dentist means that he understands me and my lifestyle," Latham says. "I admit that it's hard to juggle, but it works." And you can bet that the threat of hard work and trying extra hard to make a marriage work hasn't frightened Lovings andBrown away from thoughts of marriage. "In med school, the?*'people at the mjy-pf the class were married white men," Lovings says. "And it's because they didn't have to worry about who was going to shop for groceries or do the laundry or what I am goThey Do It Beca IWW*VWVVVV?V?f*V9YIW*VVlVIIIVllVV>IVIIII?lllllllllllllll|llll||||||||||||| llllllllllllllll it so badly that you can taste it, then go for it.'" Says Lovings: "Being a doctor is tough. It entails a lot of sacrifices in terms of social life and economic status. When you get that M.D. behind your name, you think you have it made, but actually it's only tfye beginning. Everybody is in debt to the tune of $25,000 to $50,00Q. If you wanna get rich, being a doctor is not the way to do it." If it isn't the money and the,glory is nonexistent, what makes a person want to be doctor? Dedication and deep-seated desire is what Brown, Lovings and Latham say motivates them. Lovings, whose mother worked in a hospital in her hometown of Richmond, Va., always wanted to be a doctor. "I would go with her to work on the weekends and marvel at the jars of deformed babies," she says. "And always % somebody would take the time to explain to me about the babies and my interest developed then. :. "And black children who were bright were encouraged to be doctors orlawyers," she says. "They were the role models in the black community. I can't ever remember wanting to^be anything else." W. IIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIINMMUIIttMIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIItltHlltmi He's Already Politic! Christopher. "But if I am sonjo be around, meant to, then I think I that's what my fr will." . me," he says. Christopher says he Christopher, wh shuns peer pressure and says he's looking tries to do what's right for himcolf anH Kic fomiK; t4If uuw iiij i aitiii j .CIHKSSKI^ ^fll anybody had something to ^ say about me, I think they would say, 'He's a nice perWNNMMMMMMnnitMIIIIUMttlltlMIMIIIIIIII 1984 Doctors I I $969! From Page BJ t might have to take some things, but it's for a limited time. I don't feel I have to stoop to their level to conSays Latham: "I haven't had any problems, but I don't go around looking for problems. I'm sure there are some little things I could take the wrong way. But once people see that you don't deal with those kinds *2500 of things, they disappear. I DISCOUNT i * "I think that the key to it I 1983 T-BII is attitude," she says. "If I *^5JZdJSS you have a chip on your I SSfff^Veuco! shoulder then you will provbably have some problems or you will make problems when actually they don't exBut black female doctors do have problems that may oES not hamper other physi"In mv class in medical women. Not only were they females* but the blacks were K| that just means that we had would be nice to be a white 'I doctor be \ I V o ry 12. 1984 N doesn't Dreclude ing to ha\e for dinner in addition to all the school work that had to be done. They had somebody to do all that for them. In my second life, 1 would like to have a wife who will do all that for me, too. "1 want the profession and the family life," Lovings says. "And why shouldn't 1? . , "// doesn't matter if you wear a white coat, 10 stethoscopes around your neck and have 10 name tages on with MD on them, people will still think you are a nurse. " ? Dr. Brenda Latham Men have done it for years and there is no reason I can't. 1 know that it may be more difficult, take more planning and that I will have to set priorities, but 1 can do it." Brown says she is ready for a family. "Having a family is very much a desire of r mine," Brown says. "And now 1 feel the n s use They Love It For Latham, a void in her hometown in South Carolina helped her make the decision to become a physician. "In my hometown, First, there were not enougn doctors and, second, there were not enough black doctors/' Latham says.^So 1 decided that that's what 1 wanted to do. 1 thought 1 could be a really good role model for young blacks who think that the only thing they can do is have babies or work in tobacco." And years of medical school-and an internship in Washington have not changed Latham's desire to help poor, black people in rural areas like her hometown. In fact, that's the reason she decided to go into family practice. "In rural areas, if you are a doctor, then you are a doctor and will be expected to do everything," she says. "They don't understand that if you are a cardiologist that you can only deal with heart problems." And to keep the promise she made to herself, Latham ptans to open a practice in some small rural town in North or South Carolina. For Brown, who is from Winston-Salem, becoming a doctor was a life-long dream. From State University to medical school at Meharry Medicial College in Nashville, Tenn., and pdw dng At 11 From Page Bl iiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimimiiHimiiiimiimiiimiiiiHiiMHimmiiiiiiiiMii ' At least to turning 20, is also anx- says, " iends tell iously awaiting all the ex- when lif periences between. The A sni 10 already special attraction about 20 room is | forward is that he'll be in college, he brother I P? ???????????? Brand Naw 1984 I B RANGER E? tf I I *53 $16517permo. *1 CASH PRICE: $6199; 13.5 A.P.R.. CASH 'Plus tax and tags & dealer prep. 'Plus \ family life time is right. Some people are able to be married while in med school or during the internship or residency, but not me. It depends on a lot of things and not everybody is able to deal with that. The one most important thing is to find an understanding person.'* Brown says that before she joined Dr. Kennedy in August, she had several marriage proposals, but turned them down. And she says that she has had some people who may have latched onto her because she was a doctor. But for now, she says she is looking for that someone special. Despite the grips of hard work and long . hours, Drs. Brown, Latham and Lovings all say they have one goal in mind. . 441 just want to be a good doctor," says Latham.441 don't want to get so caught up in medicine that 1 forget about the patients, and 1 don't want to get so caught up in the patients that I forget about medicine. And I don't want to be remembered for discovering a cure for cancer. 1 just want to be good at what I do." From Page B1 intiiimiHtiinH?nwtmi?MMuiifWMiMiiiniiimnimimnnni?mimniiinmi as an associate with Dr. Charlie Kennedy, Brown has kept her childhood desire alive. 44I just always saw myself as a doctor," Brown says. 44My folks always told us to be the best you can be at whatever you want to be, and that's what I'm doing," she says. Despite* the financial burden and the sacrifices that have to be made, Brown, Lovings and Latham agree that there are many bright spots. "it you are a physician, you automatically become a leader," Brown says. "And if you are a concerned physician, then you will take on certain projects and try to meet certain needs of the community." In answer to that calling, Brown is involved with the Sickle Gell Anemia Program at North Carolina BaptisuJHospital. "There are some people who look at us as great and powerful, but I think that the younger physician doesn't try to live with that concept," Brown says. "We view, ourselves as regular people. This is just a job." Says Latham: "Being a doctor is a very, very powerful position and you can use it or not use it. You have a lot of power and influence in your hands. But because you are a doctor, you,if you are committfcdue hdlfting4hVcemonunUy, ' can tna'k* ^ IIIMtlllllllllltlttlllMtltllHtNllttllllllllllltltllllltllllttlltMltttllllllllltlllltlllltl * IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIItllllllllllllllllllllllll and to me that's can't believe he said that." e really starts." Christopher's reply: "He cker from another just thought I was gonna heard and his older say 18_'cause that's how old remarks, "Wow, I he is." Wt the No. 1 Ford Dealer in tho IIOWII* Carolinae for 1983 and we intend to YOUR repeat in 1984 ? fHOICE that's a promioot Irand Now 1084 rgy^gg ^ *JSA!^S=Kn] D 5434 pER MO PRICE: $5799; 13.5 A.P.R., I tax and tags & dealer prep. down*|B||H|H^^HH IS All Hi^H TRUCK SALE I YODNEEDI 1984 7999 1084 BRONCO II I n uaca h. \ V THIS WEEK AT JCPENNEY ' THESAVINGg wcvch aiur! 25% OFF WARM AND COZY FLANNEL SHIRTS FOR MEN. 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