In honor of Wendy Brewster, MD
Dr. Wendy Brewster is the director of the UNC Center for Women’s Health Research for a very simple reason.
“When I saw what the responsibilities of the job were, I couldn’t pass it up,” she says.
Dr. Brewster brings together researchers from various disciplines to focus on innovative research projects, particularly trials that advance women’s health and especially trials that focus on underfunded or neglected areas of women’s health. She has many other responsibilities — outreach, grant preparation, teaching—but her work ultimately is about patient care.
“I really like being an oncologist, I am fortunate to be able to take care of women with exceptional emotional strength and courage,” she says.
Dr. Brewster always knew she was going to be a doctor, even as a young girl growing up in Guyana. At Rutgers, though, she majored in math because it was her favorite subject and was part of plan B, to be an actuary since her father had read an article in the New York Times that listed the ‘happiest’ professions — “actuary was second and doctor was 40th on the list.”
“But I made sure I had enough credits to attend medical school,” she says.
And wouldn’t you know it; she’s happy.
“I like being able to help patients no matter where they are in the disease process,” Dr. Brewster says. “We can’t cure everyone but we can help everyone.”