Posted 11:42 pm Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Medicine Perfect Dose For Physician's 3 Children
By ADAM WADSWORTH
Staff Writer
When a medical student graduates, he or she is generally hooded by a staff member or family member if one has a medical degree.
Staff Writer
When a medical student graduates, he or she is generally hooded by a staff member or family member if one has a medical degree.
In Dr. Leslie Scroggins' case, her father, brother and sister were able to participate in her graduation ceremony at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in May.
"The hooding ceremony took place right after Leslie received her diploma," said Dr. Virginia Scroggins, the eldest of the three children. "Her medical school allowed family members who are physicians to place her hood on her, signifying that she had received a doctor of medicine."
Talk about inheriting the family business.
Dr. John Scroggins Sr. graduated from LSU Medical School in 1973 and has been a family physician in Tyler for 31 years.
Dr. John Scroggins Sr. graduated from LSU Medical School in 1973 and has been a family physician in Tyler for 31 years.
"My dad's career in medicine has been the inspiration that has led me to medicine," Dr. Leslie said in an e-mail. "Despite the way insurance companies and lawsuit fear have unfortunately dehumanized medicine, my dad has maintained a relationship with his patients that is still special and patient-centered."
She said her father never pushed her or her siblings to follow him in his profession, but his example was enough to convince them.
Dr. Leslie originally attended Texas A&M with hopes of becoming a veterinarian, but as the time came to apply for vet school she realized she was meant to do something else.
She said she expected her mother to be angry when she told her she was switching majors at the last minute, but was surprised to discover her mother expected it.
"She wasn't surprised at all," she said. "I think she was just waiting for me to figure it out on my own."
Dr. Leslie just began her career at UTMB as an intern in internal medicine and plans to follow that with three years in dermatology.
Dr. Virginia, who was the first of the three siblings to attend medical school, said seeing her father's busy schedule did not turn her away from the medical field.
"Although I do remember a few Christmases being interrupted by pagers, and a few missed family dinners, what I most remember about growing up with my father was how much he enjoyed his work," she said in an e-mail.
She said she always admired her father's skill in the field and the way he handled high-pressure situations.
Dr. Virginia said she has always had an interest in science and math, competing in a number of competitions while in high school.
Two experiences she noted from high school were a trip to Baylor's College of Medicine and shadowing an experienced surgeon.
She graduated from UT-Southwestern in 2001 and now is a diagnostic radiologist at Rocky Mountain Radiologists in Denver.
Her younger brother, Dr. John Scroggins Jr., graduated from UTMB in 2007 after undergraduate degrees in science and theater from UT-Austin.
"My dad's career as a doctor greatly influenced me," Dr. John Jr. said in an e-mail. "I don't know if I would have come into this field if I had not had the exposure I did as a kid."
In addition to the influence of his father, he said watching Dr. Virginia follow in their father's footsteps helped persuade him to enter the world of medicine.
"As my older sister was going through medical school, I would want to be able to participate in their medical discussions," he said. "At that time, I was kind of drifting through college and seeing that bond they shared may have played a role in steering me into medicine."
Dr. John Jr. said going into medicine was always a consideration during his schooling, but because of weaker performances in courses such as physics, many of his counselors encouraged him to look into other careers.
After receiving his first bachelor's degree in theater, he said he spent about six months working at UT's Bass Concert Hall before realizing he needed a change.
He then returned to UT to prepare for medical school, earning a second bachelor's in science along the way.
Although his father was the primary influence on his decision, Dr. John Jr. said neither he nor his sisters could have done it without their mother.
"Becoming and being a physician takes so much time and effort that it is almost necessary to have someone supporting you both mentally and physically," he said. "She was the backing that helped us stand."
Dr. John Jr. recently entered his third and final year of residency at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
All three Scroggins children graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler.
