May is Women’s Health Month! At GHC-SCW, we have a wide variety of providers passionate about women’s health and ensuring the best care for our patients, both young and old. In honor of Women’s Health Month, we will be highlighting two GHC-SCW providers that are currently accepting new OB patients and what makes them passionate about women’s health.
We sat down with Dr. Stefen McVoy, M.D., to find out more about his practice and what makes him passionate about women’s health.
Hometown: Robinson, Texas
Undergrad: University of Texas at Austin
Medical school: University of Texas Medical Branch
Residency: Waukesha Family Medicine Residency – I completed the maternity care track
What’s your ultimate goal working in OB?
My ultimate goal is to really connect with individuals and families. I take great pride in being an advocate for my patients and essentially holding their hand through their reproductive/pregnancy adventures and beyond with the hopes that they feel empowered and supported throughout these nerve-racking and exciting (or as I like to say, “nerviciting”) times in their lives.
What influenced you to want to work in OB?
I’m a bit ashamed to admit this, but in all honesty, I went into medical school with a very closed mind in that I thought there was absolutely no chance I would be interested in pursuing a career with an obstetrical focus. I initially had every intention of becoming a pediatrician with hopes of primarily caring for LGBTQ youth. My mindset completely changed during my third year of medical school when I was rotating through the labor and delivery unit. I was very fortunate in being allowed to assist with a patient’s birth experience. Bearing witness to the birth process and assisting that patient was so unexpectedly joyous and exhilarating. The experience of helping that family grow and seeing their instant bond was such a special, tear-jerking moment that was quite literally life changing for them and myself. The experience was most certainly the pinnacle moment of my medical school years, which ultimately lead me down the path of pursuing a career in family medicine where I’ve been able to combine a passion for obstetrics, pediatrics and LGBTQ health. It’s been 10+ years since that encounter and I continue to feel the same degree of excitement and emotion with each and every family that has afforded me the honor of caring for them.
Do you have a favorite part of your practice in OB?
Outside of the thrill and joy that comes with providing care and serving as a cheerleader during the labor and delivery process, making connections with the expecting mothers and family in general is really what makes the practice of family medicine with obstetrics the highlight of my profession. I especially cherish when families choose me as the doctor for their newborn as well – being able to foster those professional relationships and witness both child and parents grow and develop over the years is such a treasured experience that is quite unique to this particular practice of medicine. The bonus part comes when I get to help members of the LGBTQ community in their family-growing journeys, especially given my firsthand insight into some of the adversities with which these individuals and families are often faced.
If your patients could know one fun fact about you, what would you tell them?
I’m a total nerd – I was drum major in my high school marching band, love anything and everything Marvel, and it’s not unusual for my husband and I to spout out random movie quotes at one another on a daily basis. Additionally, my spouse and I are hoping to adopt a baby in the near future, but in the meantime, we are already proud parents to our fur babies – two rambunctious border collies and two sassy kitties.
