Interview with Betty L. Bryson, December 2, 2018

Partial Transcript: Hi, I'm Karen Clancy.

Segment Synopsis: Bryson talks about growing up on a family farm and her education. She discusses choosing to become a doctor at an early age as well as her family's history with medicine.

Keywords: Aspirations; Classes; Courses; Doctors; Dreams; Elementary schools; Entrepreneurship; Graduation; Grandparents; Greenup County (Ky.); Greenup County, Kentucky; High schools; Kentucky; One room schools; Schoolhouses; Schultz Creek (Ky.); Schultz Creek, Kentucky; Shyness; Small businesses; UK; Workloads

Subjects: Childhood; Education; Families.; Family farms.; Family histories.; Farm life.; Farms, Small.; Rural children; Rural conditions; University of Kentucky; Women in engineering and science; Women physicians.

Partial Transcript: So, when you applied for medical school, were there--ho--was UK the only medical school you applied for, or?

Segment Synopsis: Johnson discusses her undergraduate career at the University of Kentucky including her unusual major for a premed student and the political protests on campus during her time.

Keywords: American culture; Chemistry; Classes; Courses; Fires; Focuses; Graduations; Graffiti; Kent State Shootings; Labs; Med schools; Medical schools; Premed students; Premedical societies; Protests; The Wall; Topical premed majors; War protests

Subjects: Education; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Political activists.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Student protesters; Universities and colleges--Admission; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. College of Medicine; Women physicians.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: Okay so, uh, back to your story. You talked about, uh, starting medical school.

Segment Synopsis: Bryson discusses transitioning to medical school and a concentrated major. She talks about the experiences of women and minorities at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

Keywords: Acceptances; Anatomy; Applications; Beth Wade; Biochemistry; Changes; Civil Rights Era; Classes; Clerkships; Failing; Flunking; Frances McDonald; Friendships; Influences; Interviews; Jobs; Kathy Riggs; Kentucky; Med schools; Networking; Networks; Physicians; Relationships; Role models; Sciences; Study groups; Study skills; Studying; UK

Subjects: Education, Higher--Kentucky; Medical education; Minorities in higher education; Occupations; Universities and colleges--Admission; University of Kentucky. College of Medicine; Women in engineering and science; Women in higher education.; Women physicians.

Partial Transcript: So, what do you remember about your clerkships?

Segment Synopsis: Bryson discusses her experiences in medical school including her clerkships and mentors at the University of Kentucky.

Keywords: Careers; Clerkships; Clinicals; Externships; Faculties; Female surgeons; Gastrointestinal medicine (GI); General surgery; Influences; Jobs; Med schools; Mentors; Personalities; Physicians; Professors; Residency; Residents; Role models; Rotations; Sciences; Subspecialties; Surgeries; Surgery; UK; Ward Griffin

Subjects: Education, Higher--Kentucky; Medical education; Occupations; University of Kentucky. College of Medicine; Women in engineering and science; Women in higher education.; Women physicians.

Partial Transcript: Where did you do your internship?

Segment Synopsis: Bryson talks about the process of becoming an intern and resident at the University of Nebraska. She also discusses her duties and schedules in those roles.

Keywords: Anxieties; C-sections; Caesarean sections; Challenges; Climates; Emergency rooms (ER); General surgeons; Interns; Internships; Matches; Matching; Med schools; Medical schools; Moving; Open wards; Residency; Residents; Schedules; Services; Surgeons; Travels; University of Nebraska; University of Nebraska. Medical Center; VA hospitals; Veteran Affairs (VA); Weather; Working hours

Subjects: Medical education; Occupations; Sexism.; Universities and colleges--Admission; University of Kentucky; Women in engineering and science; Women in higher education.; Women physicians.

Partial Transcript: You married. Did you marry during school or during internship or residency or later in your career?

Segment Synopsis: Bryson talks about the death of her first husband and then remarrying. She discusses leaving the University of Nebraska with her second husband and starting a family. After moving, she became a part-time first-assistant until her retirement.

Keywords: Biological clocks; Changes; Costs; Daughters; Deaths; Doctors; Educators; Faculties; Faculty members; Fertility; First-assistants; Husbands; Illnesses; Kentucky; Malpractice insurances; Marriages; Medical bureaucracies; Moving; Naval reserves; Parents; Quitting; Retirement; Second opinions; Sicknesses; Spouses; Staffs; Surgeons; Tumors; Widows; Work life balances

Subjects: Children; Children of physicians; Families.; Marriage; Medical education; Medical offices.; Occupations; Personnel management.; Physicians--Salaries, etc; Remarriage; Women in engineering and science; Women in higher education.; Women physicians.; Work life

Partial Transcript: Tell me just a little about a general surgeon.

Segment Synopsis: Bryson talks about the duties of a general surgeon as well her progression in the field. She discusses what it meant to be a female surgeon at the time.

Keywords: Confidences; Female patients; General surgeons; Patient interactions; Patients; Physicality; Precautions; Residents; Safety; Self-esteems; Specialties; Surgeons; Surgeries; Traumas

Subjects: Occupations; Personnel management.; Physician and patient.; Physicians--Kentucky; Sex discrimination in employment.; Sexism.; Women in engineering and science; Women physicians.; Women--Employment.; Work life

Partial Transcript: What were some of the highlights of things that you did as, as a general surgeon or as a physician?

Segment Synopsis: Bryson discusses the changes in the medical field especially with the advent of laparoscopy. She talks about how medicine has changed her personally, including becoming much less shy. She also discusses her family's role in her career and personality.

Keywords: Aunts; Changes; Classmates; Colleagues; Colleges; Comforts; Dermatologists; Dermatology; Developments; Extended families; Fathers; Fears; Grandparents; Help; Hospital management; Hospitalizations; Interactions; Laparoscopy; Managed care; Med schools; Medical schools; Micro-invasive surgeries; Mothers; Parents; Patient interactions; Peers; Personal development; Post-operative cares; Residents; Shyness; Skin care; Support services; Surgeons; Surgeries; Uncles

Subjects: Families.; Inventions.; Medical education; Medical innovations; Occupations; Physician and patient.; Physicians--Kentucky; Technological innovations.; Women in engineering and science; Women physicians.; Women--Employment.

Partial Transcript: So, uh, thinking about your career, what would you consider some of your, your biggest achievements?

Segment Synopsis: Bryson talks about increasing the presence of women at the University of Nebraska in her career and the increasing impact of women on the field of medicine. She also discusses the discrimination she has faced as a female medical student and doctor.

Keywords: Bedside manners; Biases; Businesses; Changes; Discrimination; Doctors; Experiences; Faculty; Faculty members; Female doctors; Female surgeons; General surgeons; Internships; Male nurses; Med schools; Medical schools; Mentors; Nursing; Patients; Practices; Relationships; Residents; Restrooms; Specialties; Surgeons; Surgical meetings; Surgical programs; University of Nebraska; Women's issues

Subjects: Medical education; Occupations; Personnel management.; Physician and patient.; Sex role in the work environment.; Women in engineering and science; Women in higher education.; Women physicians.; Women--Education (Higher); Women--Employment.

Partial Transcript: Uh, so thinking about young people today going to college and, and going onto medical school, women or men, what are some of the suggestions you have for them?

Segment Synopsis: Bryson talks about the importance of a well-rounded education and her mentors at the University of Nebraska. She also discusses the other career women in her life and how it inspired her father to become a feminist.

Keywords: Bedside manners; Careers; Doctors; Female doctors; Feminism; Feminists; Friends; Internships; Liberal arts education; Mentors; Networking; Networks; Options; Parents; Park rangers; Patient interactions; Priscilla Lynn; Relationships; Role models; Siblings; Sisters; University of Nebraska; Ward Griffin; Well-rounded education

Subjects: College students.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Medical education; Occupations; Personnel management.; Physician and patient.; Physicians--Kentucky; Women in engineering and science; Women in higher education.; Women physicians.; Women--Employment.