Ep49 | Achieving Success in Academic Medicine - From a Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgeon

Dr. Elizabeth Mueller is the division director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPRMS) at Loyola University Medical Center and incoming president of the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS). She is a renowned expert in female pelvic floor dysfunction, with over 80+ publications and 15+ grant-funded research initiatives. Notably, she is the first AUGS president to graduate from a urology residency. As demonstrated by the litany of these academic accolades, Dr. Mueller understands what it takes to be a successful physician. In this podcast, we dive into nuts and bolts of her success story.

Interestingly, Dr. Mueller’s path to medicine was fairly untraditional. Originally, she started her career as a critical care nurse in the ICU. After saving up enough money to go to college, she found an interest in the math and sciences, and graduated with a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla. She worked for Procter and Gamble for six years, climbing the ranks of the engineering and business world to eventually lead a 120 person department with a $13 million/year operating budget. In reflecting on the satisfaction she felt during her days as an ICU nurse, she made the decision to apply for medical school at age 36. She would then graduate from St. Louis University School of Medicine and complete a urology residency and urogynecology/FPRMS fellowship at Loyola.

Captivating, insightful, and knowledgeable, Dr. Mueller is known as an amazing mentor inside and outside the OR. Tune in for discussions on what it takes to achieve such success in the world of academic medicine.

Episode produced by: Alek Druck, Josh Lewis

Episode recording date: September 30th, 2020