Paul Leavy/ The Valdosta Daily Times Dr. Kim Megow practiced as a pediatrician for almost 20 years before taking the position of Medical Director for South Georgia Medical Center. She and her husband have four children, ages 10 to 20.

VALDOSTA — As physicians, they deliver babies, treat childhood illnesses, test bodily fluids and organs, diagnose cancer, and provide rehabilitation to the injured. As mothers, their roles can be far more demanding.

Five female physicians practicing in Valdosta with children were interviewed this week in observance of Doctor’s Day, an official national annual recognition of the sacrifices of those in the medical profession. With the number of females practicing medicine rising rapidly, the number of women juggling motherhood and medicine is far more common today than it was even 10 or 20 years ago.

Despite the long hours in a typical shift, the many nights each month spent on call, and the stressful demands of treating seriously ill patients, these Dr. Moms have all found a way to keep a work-life balance, leaving work at the door when they come home every day. Their challenges are not any different than other mothers with demanding careers, yet not many professions require the lengthy years of education and training required of physicians.

Calm, poised and articulate, these physicians demonstrate that there is no thought of sacrificing a career for motherhood or vice versa.

Dr. Jerthitia Taylor Grate

Following her father, Dr. Samuel Taylor, into the profession of obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Jerthitia Taylor Grate knew what she was getting into.

“I used to watch my father growing up. I was around him while he was working in the hospital from a young age, and decided very early that I wanted to be just like him.”

Following her undergraduate degree from Spelman College, she went to the Medical College of Georgia for medical school and trained in OB/GYN at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., before returning to Valdosta to practice with her father. After several years in practice, she and her husband, Courtney Grate, the finance manager at the Toyota dealership, decided to start their family, but were surprised to find she was carrying twins.

“We knew multiples ran in our family, but that still doesn’t prepare you.”

She called herself the “twin whisperer” as she had several patients while she was pregnant that were carrying twins.

She worked as long as she could, but when she went into pre-term labor, the doctor had to do what she had told many women to do in the past.

“I was put on bed rest for a month! My Dad had a really hard time keeping me from doing too much.”

Dr. Taylor Grate said the experience with contractions, complications, carrying multiples, etc., has given her a better understanding of what her patients are experiencing.

“In that aspect, it does make you more empathetic.”

She delivered fraternal twin boys, Taylor and Davis, now 6 months old. She stayed home with them for eight weeks, and said it was really hard coming back to work and trying to balance the twins’ care with her call schedule.

“My husband’s hours are often worse than mine. I can at least get home in the evenings, but when he’s working and I’m on call, I’m fortunate that my mother can stay with them.”

Dr. Taylor Grate said as much as she enjoys being a mother, she couldn’t be a stay-at-home mom. And as grueling as medical school and her residency were, having twins was harder.

“They’re up every two to three hours. They’re not on the same schedule, and I still don’t get any sleep. I hated leaving them, but I could not be a stay-at-home mom. I give all the glory to those who are, but I’m fortunate to be able to experience both sides.”

Dr. Shannon Smith

On New Year’s Day, Dr. Shannon Smith went into labor at 30 weeks, nearly three months early. Delivering at Smith Northview Hospital, tiny Alexa Hamilton was born weighing 3 pounds, 5 ounces and had to be taken immediately to pediatric ICU at Phoebe Putney Hospital in Albany.

“She had to stay three weeks. Thank goodness her lungs and heart were fine, but she was jaundiced, and her nutrition was a concern. She lost down to 3 pounds, but she’s doing wonderfully now.”

Due to her low birth weight, health and developmental issues are still a concern and Alexa has to be closely monitored to ensure she is developing as she should. But for Dr. Smith, that’s not an issue, as she brings Alexa to work with her every day. She currently works from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and says the staff is wonderful, staying with Alexa while she is with patients.

“I’m never more than a few feet from her, and I’m never gone for long. She’s still only 8 pounds, but that’s more than double her birth weight, and she’s doing great.”

Married to a physician, Dr. Eric Hamilton, an anesthesiologist at Smith Northview, Dr. Smith said she chose rehabilitation as a specialty because she knew she wanted to have a family. Her field is physiatry and her practice is in Camelot Crossing, in the same suite as G&G Family Medicine.

“Rehab is less demanding than other fields. You have few emergencies, and the schedule is more flexible.”

According to Dr. Smith, with females now 50 percent of the students in medical school, the field of medicine is going to have to change.

“The last frontier for women are the surgical specialties. You don’t see many females in orthopedic surgery or neurosurgery. Having children in some specialties is seen as a weakness. Most go into fields like internal medicine. There’s more flexibility, which is important if you want a family. But hopefully, that will change someday.”

Dr. Smith attended Spelman College followed by medical school at Temple University and did her residency at Emory. She and her husband met at Temple in 2000, got married in 2007 “on a Sunday, and then we both had to go back to school on Tuesday. He was at the University of Mississippi and I was in Atlanta at Emory.”

She moved to Mississippi after residency, and the couple was recruited to Valdosta.

“This is a great place to have kids and have a family. We love it. I’m trying to talk my parents into moving here from New Jersey.”

Dr. Smith said it’s been an exciting year. In January, Alexa was born. In February, she had her gall bladder removed. And in March, they moved into a new house.

“I’m getting a little nervous about April!”

Dr. Betsy Coleman

As the chief of pathology at South Georgia Medical Center, Dr. Betsy Coleman spends a lot of time slicing and examining various body parts; sights and smells that most pregnant women would find difficult to be around. But seven-months pregnant with her second child, Dr. Coleman says none of it bothers her. She hasn’t had any morning sickness, and she could even do an autopsy now without any problems.

Dr. Coleman said she and husband Paul Hamilton, an attorney in Nashville, Ga., have a son, 20-month-old Cole, and she is pregnant with a girl, whom they’ve already named Bailey. She also has a 4-year-old stepson.

“The biggest issue is time. Having children really altered my personal life!”

Dr. Coleman says her husband takes care of Cole every third night when she’s on call, so she can sleep. And she is fortunate to have a family member who stays with Cole during the day while she’s working.

“Pathology is one of the more family-friendly specialties. I keep regular hours and the call time isn’t bad. I anticipated this when I was single, that when I got married and had a family, I wanted to be able to have some flexibility.”

A native of Tifton, Dr. Coleman attended Emory for undergraduate, medical school and residency. She is also the medical director of the hospital’s lab and said pathology is one of the more interesting fields. But nothing compares to being a mother.

“I love my job, but I’ve been able to enjoy my family too because I was older and already established in my career before I got married and had children.”

There was never a time when she thought she’d have to choose between a career and a family.

“I want both. You have to make some sacrifices but the rewards outweigh them.”

Dr. Kim Megow

A native of Brunswick, Ga., Dr. Kim Megow attended Valdosta State, followed by medical school and residency at the Medical College of Georgia. Before taking the position of chief medical officer at South Georgia Medical Center nearly two years ago, Dr. Megow was in private practice as a pediatrician for nearly 20 years.

Her list of current responsibilities is so long, it’s difficult to remember all of them, but Dr. Megow sums it up by saying that “every day brings a different set of challenges, but I’ve enjoyed the change.”

She says God called her into the medical profession so she could take care of people’s health.

Dr. Megow and her husband, Jim, who owns Hahira Nursery, began having children as soon as she finished her residency.

“When I started my private practice, I was seven-months pregnant. The day I went into labor, I made rounds while I was having contractions. I was checking babies and then went to labor and delivery and had my first child, Lindsey.”

Today, Lindsey is 20 and attending the University of Georgia. She is already planning to follow her mother into the medical field, and she wants to be a pathologist.

The couple’s next child was son Parker, now 18, followed by Thomas, 12, and William, 10.

When asked if her children ever had issues with her schedule growing up, she said, “It’s all they’ve known. To them, it’s just life.”

Dr. Megow says the biggest factor in balancing her career with her family life is having the ability to leave work at work and not take it home.

“I am devoted to family time. I’m either at work or at home with them.”

She treats her children for minor illnesses, and said being a doctor comes in handy at times, recalling a trip to the Bahamas where the entire family came down with a virulent stomach virus.

“I always travel with my bag, so I was giving them shots in this tiny little airport to try and stop the vomiting. I even had to turn around and give my daughter a shot while we were flying. There were several children around us, and they looked like they were terrified I was going to stick them next!”

As a pediatrician, her hours were somewhat flexible, but when she needed to, she would bring her children to the hospital while she did rounds.

“They’d sit and color while Mommy went and checked on her patients.”

Dr. Megow says she misses some aspects of private practice because, as a pediatrician, “You develop long-term relationships with families.”

“I feel very blessed. Practicing medicine and being a mother is a gift.”

Dr. Jennifer Dallas

When asked about having a family and balancing a demanding career in oncology, Dr. Jennifer Dallas says her daughter, Isabella, was “very planned.”

She and her husband, Dr. Chris Young, a neonatologist, were finishing their fellowship training at Shands Hospital in Florida.

“We finished on June 30, and I had her on July 6. I took off 12 weeks and then came to work.”

She and her husband met at the Medical College of Georgia. She’s from Newnan, he’s from Valdosta, and SGMC recruited them both.

“It’s wonderful because we have his mom here as backup for us when we’re both on call.”

Dr. Dallas said Isabella, now 8-months old, attends the SGMC / YMCA daycare.

“They have flexible hours and are open much later than most daycares. They’ll even open on Saturday or Sunday if we need them.”

Although working with cancer patients every day is rewarding, Dr. Dallas said there are days when she leaves work in tears when a patient’s health declines, so it’s important that she not take her work home.

“Being a mother is so much fun. I find myself managing my time better so that I can go home and be with her.”

Dr. Dallas said she always wanted to be a physician and, following her mother’s battles with breast and colon cancer, “I knew I wanted to go into oncology. There is a special bond between patient and the doctor. You have to be very nurturing, so being a female is a plus.”

She said more women are entering the once male-dominated specialty, which will bring changes in oncology in the future.

“I would never consider not doing what I do. I don’t have to sacrifice one for the other (motherhood and medicine). I don’t take work home and having a family helps keep you stable.”