Meet Juliet Ray | Surgeon, Researcher, Advocate, Teacher, Mom, Wife…Not necessarily in that order.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Juliet Ray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Juliet, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
I have to admit I don’t read enough for pleasure. When I do have the opportunity to read, I try to stay current with research and techniques in my specialty. But, I did recently start listening to audio books during my commute and was really influenced by Matthew McConaughey’s “Greenlights”. It conveys an incredibly powerful message—that we
should take advantage of the “greenlights” in our lives when opportunities present themselves
that allow us to move closer to a goal and further progress. That way when we are hit with the
inevitable “red light” or disappointments, we can take things in stride and not allow these
negative moments to derail our plans.
Atomic Habits by James Clear also had a profound impact on my development as a surgeon and
it applies in every facet of life. The idea that small changes over time lead to big effects makes
big goals seem attainable. We don’t have to hit home runs during every at-bat—singles in the
long run are more effective.
For example, when learning a new surgical technique, it may seem impossible to master
everything at once. But now I try to think about each procedure as a series of steps that I must
learn one step at a time. Once I am confident with the first step, I use it as a building block to
get to get 1% better at each additional step and with each case. Ten cases later I’m 10% better
than when I started.  What seemed impossible and overwhelming is no longer as intimidating.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I completed my medical school and general surgery residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. During my residency I also completed a 2-year research fellowship with a focus on surgical outcomes research and surgical education. As a research fellow, I earned a Master of Science in Public Health and had two baby girls (Sydney and Ella). I then completed clinical fellowship at New York University Langone Health in Colon and Rectal Surgery with advanced training in inflammatory bowel disease surgery and robotic cancer surgery. Since this time, I moved back to south Florida to practice at HCA/JFK Hospital and am an Affiliated Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Education at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

I think the challenges I faced in my field are similar to what many other women face in high stakes careers – work/life balance. My second baby was born in a scheduled c-section just a few hours after finishing a 24-hour trauma call. I took about four weeks of maternity leave with each child. This put an incredible stress on my husband. During training there really wasn’t much “balance”—it was more like “survival” mode. But I made a choice when deciding on my career path that I would find a job with less emergency call so that my family could rely on me. It is a misconception that to be a good surgeon you have to ONLY be a surgeon. This deters many female medical students away from the field. I actually find that the opposite is true. Having a balanced family and personal life allows me to be a better physician. But I’ll admit, it’s not always easy.

What sets me apart as a surgeon is the way I interact with my patients. I recognize that this relationship comes with incredible responsibility and I don’t take that lightly. While technical skill is critical in my field, I believe that compassion can be equally as important and is often overlooked. In every interaction I have with my patients, I try to be aware that I am coming into their lives at a critical time and my actions will likely leave a lasting impact on both them and their families. I try every day not to lose site of this. Taking time to learn a patient’s children’s names or writing a note of encouragement on a post-op dressing builds a connection that patients remember. I always sit down in a patient’s room and give them the respect of time to listen to their concerns as they are undoubtedly in an uncomfortable and sometime fearful setting. I never type while they are talking (even if this means I have to stay up late finishing my notes). In my opinion these interactions build trust and confidence in my relationship with my patients, and ultimately leads to better outcomes. I try to teach this to the residents and students I work with and lead by example.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I spent over 10 years during my medical training living in Miami (although for the past 2 years I have been living in Boca Raton). By far my favorite place in Miami is Sunset Harbor (my old neighborhood). A perfect weekend day would include taking a morning workout class there and then meeting my husband and kids for brunch at Icebox Cafe. We would then hit up the playground. Another favorite spot is South Point Park. There is nothing better than picking up Joes take away and having a picnic while watching the sunset here.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to Dr. Heidi Bahna. I first met Heidi over a decade ago when she was judging a research competition at which I was presenting as a 3rd year medical student. I trained under her for 7 years in Miami prior to moving to NYC for fellowship. Heidi recruited me back to Florida to join her practice in Palm Beach County in 2020. What started as a mentorship turned into a friendship, and now a partnership.

Since coming together in practice almost 3 years ago we are trying to change the way colorectal cancer care is practiced in our community.

Heidi taught me that it is important to always remember someone is looking up to you (even if you are not in a formal mentor relationship), and to act with integrity and passion. She is the type of leader that always builds up those around her and never settles for the status quo. Her mentorship changed the direction of my career.

Instagram: @juliet_ray_md

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-ray-a364591a5/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je843D0yy4w