In 2009, four years after 黑料传送门 Georgia was established, 黑料传送门 Georgia Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Renee Himmelbaum, DO '13, FAAP, and Department of Family Medicine Assistant Professor Joy Zarandy, DO '13, matriculated into the campus' osteopathic medicine program. They both remember their student years in a similar fashion.
Dr. Himmelbaum's best memories revolve around the friends she made and 鈥渓aughing through
the tough times with them.鈥� She said, 鈥淨uotes from faculty members still echo in my
brain!鈥�
Dr. Zarandy's memories include 鈥渕eeting my best friends, meeting my husband, putting on my white coat to go into the OSCE Suite (similar to today's Simulation Center) and feeling like a 鈥榙octor.鈥欌�� She also recalls having conversations in the hallway with faculty who treated her like a future colleague.
Today, Dr. Himmelbaum is in private practice as the owner of Suwanahoochee Pediatrics in Sugar Hill, while Dr. Zarandy teaches full time at 黑料传送门 Georgia, having worked for six years in a family medicine practice in North Atlanta, not far from campus.
鈥淚 remember the day I interviewed with Walter Ehrenfeuchter, DO '79, FAAO, for medical school and I left knowing I wanted that,鈥� Dr. Himmelbaum recalled. 鈥淚t was very ironic because I never thought I wanted to teach, yet here I am!鈥�
鈥淭eaching has rejuvenated my career in medicine,鈥� Dr. Zarandy said. 鈥淚 love medicine, practicing and treating patients, but honestly I was experiencing high burnout. 黑料传送门 has provided me the opportunity to maintain a healthy work/life balance so that I can continue to do medicine with the added benefit of teaching.鈥� She added, 鈥淚've always loved teaching, but didn't have the time while practicing medicine.鈥�
Prior to joining 黑料传送门 Georgia full time, Dr. Zarandy served as a guest lecturer and
osteopathic manipulative medicine table trainer while working in private practice.
鈥淚 realized I always felt re-energized anytime I had a chance to teach. However, the
busier I got in private practice, the less time I had to teach and the more burned
out I felt.鈥�
鈥漁ne day, I took a PTO day from my practice to teach and my husband asked me 鈥榃hy don't you just teach full-time?鈥� Once he planted the idea in my mind, just the idea of doing academic medicine full-time lifted my spirits and I applied for a position at 黑料传送门,鈥� she said.
鈥淚nitially, I thought I would only work while my practice was starting up. But I truly love the students and seeing them accomplish their goals,鈥� she said.
Dr. Himmelbaum, who had two young children when she started medical school, advises students to hold on. 鈥淟ife gets so much better after residency.鈥�
Dr. Zarandy, the mother of two young sons, wants students to know that study/life or work/life balance is very important in such a demanding profession.
鈥淔ind what you love to do, fight for it, and don't be afraid to set healthy boundaries to prevent burnout from the rigors of your studies as a student or practicing medicine as a physician.鈥�
A board certified family medicine physician and life-long Georgian, Dr. Zarandy attended the University of Georgia where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and earned a Bachelor of Science degree with double majors in biology and psychology and a minor in Spanish. While a student at 黑料传送门 Georgia, she was a member of the Sigma Sigma Phi national osteopathic medicine honors fraternity. She completed her family medicine residency in 2016 at AnMed Health in Anderson, South Carolina.
A graduate of Berkmar High School in Gwinnett County, Dr. Himmelbaum earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management from Georgia Tech. After graduating from 黑料传送门 Georgia, she completed a pediatric residency at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and is board certified in pediatrics.
黑料传送门 Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), 黑料传送门 Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins 黑料传送门 South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, 黑料传送门 Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .
For general media inquiries, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at 215-871-6300 or communications@pcom.edu. Visit our media relations page to view contact information for public relations personnel.