We are so excited for this next episode with our special guest, Dr. Paula O'Connor! We talk about finding your path in medicine and all of the many opportunities there are to follow your passions within the medical field. Dr. O'Connor gave us so many gems development of career and development of self.
We are so excited for this next episode with our special guest, Dr. Paula O'Connor! We talk about finding your path in medicine and all of the many opportunities there are to follow your passions within the medical field. Dr. O'Connor gave us so many gems development of career and development of self.
About Dr. Paula O'Connor
Dr. O'Connor is a hematologist oncologist with over 15 years of experience in biotech and drug development leading Clinical Development, Medical Affairs functions, managing people and teams, while helping to bring multiple products to the market.
Most recently, Dr. O'Connor led the US Medical Affairs function at Oncopeptides, Inc., helping them to commercialize their first product, a peptide drug conjugate. Earlier in her career, Dr. O'Connor led programs for novel biologics (Rituxan, Avastin), small molecules (Tarceva, Nexavar, rociletinib, Rubraca, and Talzenna), and biosimilars (Udenyca).
Paula served as the Executive Vice President of Clinical Development at Coherus Biosciences; the Global Development Lead for Talzenna at Medivation through its acquisition by Pfizer; the Medical Affairs Lead for Rubraca and rociletinib at Clovis Oncology; the Joint Global Development Lead for Nexavar and Global Development Lead for Oprozomib at Onyx Pharmaceuticals through its acquisition by Amgen; and in roles of increasing responsibility at Genentech, Inc. through its acquisition by Roche.
Paula obtained her medical degree from Stanford University; did her Medical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was the first African American Chief Resident in Internal Medicine; and did her Hematology-Oncology fellowship at the MGH/BWH/DFCI combined program.
Outside of work, Paula is a parent, a tennis fan, and the owner of 2 burmese cats.
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Dr. Karen Winkfield
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Dr. Zanetta Lamar
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Welcome back to 3 Black Docs with Dr. Tiffany, Dr. Karen, and DR. Zanetta. This episode is presented in partnership with Oncopeptides for Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month,
Dr. Karen
This is a very special episode number one we are being sponsored today by Oncopeptides. We thank you so much Oncopeptides for sponsoring us, but we also have a phenomenal guest. I am so excited because she and I have some commonality in terms of our background. And I just am so excited to have Dr. Paula O'Connor on today. So, Dr Connor, welcome, welcome, welcome.
Dr. Paula
So glad to be here.
Dr. Karen
Yeah, we are so excited to have you. You know I think that those folks who have listened to the podcast in the past have really understood our desire is not only to educate communities of color, about the importance of their health and well being, but also to hopefully inspire the next generation of women, clinicians, and in particular, Black women clinicians, so we are so excited to have you. You have an amazing, amazing history I know that you know you have a history as a Hematologist Oncologist, but you know, could you just share with us a little bit of your background in terms of how you got into medicine, and what that journey was like for you.
Dr. Paula
Sure. I think that's uh... where does the journey begins. I don't know how far you want to go back, but I would say, certainly, it just begins in grade school right with people saying hey you're good at math and science, you should be a doctor. I don't think I took any of that very seriously until I was in high school. When I was in high school, my dad was unfortunately diagnosed with a Liposarcoma, which is a very rare tumor. And I think his illness has really set the stage for my entire career on multiple different levels, I think, first and foremost, there's nobody who goes into medicine who doesn't have a patient experience that has probably really significantly impacted them. And so for me it was my dad. I think that what I realized when my dad was getting care at this small community hospital on Long Island was that he wasn't the only person who was getting care, our whole family was getting care, and watching how doctors interacted with my mother, and with me. I knew even then, at what 16 years of age, that I could do that better. Now, I think in retrospect, I think that there are a lot of things that I didn't know, obviously, I think, many surgeons are not trained to actually interact with folk, and what I learned after I went to medical school was that internal medicine docs and docs who were actually on the front line of patient care as opposed to, in some cases, being in a subspecialty are actually trained to have a relationship with their physicians, but I think in oncology, no matter what, I don't care whether you're a surgical oncologist, a radiation oncologists and medical oncologists. These are people who are in a crisis, and you really need to be able to talk to them and to help them understand what that crisis is. So, long story short, my dad got ill when I was in high school, I realized that I thought I could do it better. And so I decided, hey, I'm going to go into medicine. I took some time off, right after college that I tried some other things, theater, you know, working in fashion.
Dr. Karen
You hear she's speaking my language, we're gonna have to circle back, but go ahead. Sorry to interrupt
Dr. Paula
that's right and so that I realized, ultimately that I wanted to try medicine. So I went out to Stanford for medical school, and that was hey, just to be to be real Stanford had an amazing program at that point in time where you could go an extra year, and you could fund your own education and I think that you could even go two or three extra years so there were some people in my class who had been there for seven years. I think for many people the cost of going into medicine is something that they think about I don't want to be a half a million dollars in debt, and, and I think you don't have to be, I think you'd have to make some smart choices there are options out there, whether it now be you know, NYU having all of their students go basic - I think this is my understanding. I don't go to NYU obviously- but they have a program now where you get to go for free is my understanding. I mean what an opportunity right! So you don't have to be a quarter million dollars in debt, but you do have to think very carefully about where you're going to go if you don't want to be a quarter million dollars in debt.
Dr. Karen
Well, cheers to that, I love the fact though, we love these pearls right so you're talking about opportunities that, you know, students who may feel like they can't do this medical thing, you know, there's so much debt, you know, we, there's been article after article written about the fact that the debt related to just getting an education will be prohibitive for students who might be interested in going into medicine so thank you so much for sharing. So tell us a little bit about Stanford. So what did you do in that extra year, like, what did you have to do have to do to kind of get your medical school paid for
Dr. Paula
So the way it typically worked, and I just to be fair, I don't know that it is 100% that way right now, is that you basically worked in labs, the entire time that you were there to for your for your preclinical years you worked in labs doing research. And so in fact, that's how I ended up in oncology because although I knew, I thought that I could do better than my father's oncologist had done. I actually, I'm a tennis player. And what I really wanted to do was if I couldn't play tennis on the tennis tour, I wanted to take care of tennis players right so I was gonna be an orthopedist. But I had my in my first year of medical school, immunology course with Dr. Carl Bluma, who was the head of the bone marrow transplant unit at at Stanford. And I was so blown away by his lecture, I actually went to his lab - to his office rather than his lab and said, I would really love to work for you in some way. And so we started chatting, he said oh you play tennis. Excellent. I love tennis, and then it is how we started working together and how I got truly interested in hematology oncology and, like many of the students who were trying to pay their way through, I basically worked with the bone marrow transplant group doing clinical research, so
Dr. Karen
Awesome.
Dr. Zanetta
And that had to be during a fascinating time because the history of bone marrow transplant is amazing, and all of the things that have changed from, You know, then, to now to the cellular therapies that we have. I mean, it's just amazing. So if you were really on the forefront with the thought leaders in transplant. I can really see how that stimulated your interest into going into hematology and oncology That's fascinating.
Dr. Paula
It was the best team that I've ever worked with in my entire career, and I am not a young child anymore. So, in 30 years basically, this was the best group that I ever worked with.
Dr. Karen
Wow,
Dr. Zanetta
What was it about the group?
Dr. Paula
I think what was great about the group is that there was a space for everyone to, to speak, didn't mean that your comments were going to be followed, but that everyone had the opportunity to contribute. So it didn't matter where the good idea came from and to me that is in any profession in any group, you don't want to shut people down because you don't know where the good ideas come in. That's the most important thing. Yeah,
Dr. Karen
yeah, yes, yes, yes. So, you keep saying you alluded to the fact that you're not a young person or whatever, how you try to say that but okay so I'm going to poll Dr. Z and Dr Tiff. Alright so, Dr. Paula and I share something in common. In addition to, you mentioned Long Island so we got to go back to that at some point you mentioned you were interested in theater, which are like omg so am I. But you and I also happened to be in the museum at Mass General Hospital, I don't know if you knew that. What they did was they put together a reel of firsts, firsts at Mass General Hospital, but so Dr Tiff and Dr. Z, what do you think Dr. Paula's first was?
Dr. Zanetta
well, when she was what first chief resident of internal medicine,
Dr. Tiffany
You know, we do our homework.
Dr. Karen
Come on, y'all.
Dr. Zanetta
What do you think this is? Wait you're gonna give me someone of this caliber and you expect me not to know about her?
you know we do our homework! I'm insulted
Dr. Karen
Wow. But Dr. Paula tell us a little bit about that for you. I'm done with yall
Dr. Paula
wait first i i think that i need to hear about what you are in the museum for
Dr. Karen
Okay and then we're gonna come back and you tell us what year, if you feel comfortable doing that. So I was the first Black, radiation oncologist hired at Mass General Hospital.
Dr. Paula
Wow,
Dr. Karen
That was in the year 2010
Dr. Paula
Are you serious?
Dr. Karen
Still making firsts. Still making firsts. That was 10 years, 11 years ago almost now. Yeah, the first Black radiation oncologist hired at Mass General Hospital, and upon my departure, There is no one else there. Yeah,
Dr. Paula
so. Wow. Okay that's it, that's sobering. That's sobering. So, I was the first black chief resident in internal medicine in 1997 to 1998, Denny Asiello was the chief, at that point in time, yeah. I loved my residency, and when I say I love my residency, I had so much fun. I don't know what residencies are like now. But, for better or for worse, when you were doing that, you know, every third night call, there is a camaraderie that you develop with these with your with your classmates, and I really enjoyed my classmates. I think that the clinical medicine that was taught at Mass General, at that time was great, I, the only reason why I say at that time is because I don't know what's come afterward right and so I don't want someone to say you told me that it was gonna be perfect and it's not, you know,
Dr. Karen
It was amazing while I was there I tell you to this day that's like the best clinical experience I've ever had is my time at Mass General,
Dr. Paula
Ot was, it was fun. And I, the nurses were great. my classmates were great. The patients were interesting and intriguing, but they also gave me a, you know, a real slice of of life. I remember in my internship here, a patient who said, I don't want to be treated by you. I said, you don't want to be treated by me because. And he said, you know, and I said, because I'm a woman? Because I'm a Black woman? and he said yes to all of those, and that was interesting, you know, this is, these are, once again, these are not things that people teach you to deal with when you're in medical school, but at the same time, you are obligated to take care of that patient and let them know that, okay, you may not you may not choose me. But I continue to choose you, in terms of making sure that you get what you need. Yeah, so, yeah, but Mass General was awesome, it was, and I feel like I'm not expounding enough but it was, it was a great clinical experience, but I was after 10 years in Boston, I was ready to get back to California, to play tennis in January.
Dr. Karen
Yea rub that one in right?
Winkz Productions
We have to take a break. We'll be right back.
Dr. Karen
Hey this is Dr Karen coming at you with a myeloma minute. Did you know that African Americans make up almost a quarter of all of the people living with multiple myeloma today, yet only 5% of patients in myeloma clinical trials are African American. It is so important that Blacks are represented in clinical trials, so that we can better understand and address the needs of the community. There are certainly pros and cons to participating in clinical trials. However, if you or your loved one has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, please talk to your doctor now, and ask could a clinical trial be right for you. This has been your multiple myeloma minute
Winkz Productions
Want more 3 Black Docs, visit 3BlackDocs.com to meet the docs, read our blog and get access to more 3BD content,
Dr. Karen
T, you're like chomping at the bit looks like. Ask about more career career moves right?
Dr. Tiffany
Oh yeah, before we kind of get off the topic, we have how you chose your career, you know, we have gotten requests from young people who are thinking about becoming physicians, and I love what you said I loved a lot of what you said about your path, so far right, first that you didn't, you know, plan on being a doctor. You want to be a tennis player, and then we're gonna be a doctor you want to be an orthopedist, not an oncologist, right. And so there's that staying open right to just kind of how the path leads and being flexible. What, and you also spoke to the importance of mentorship, and how your path was really guided by the teams that you work with, so it wasn't this idea of you being five and saying, I want to be a world class oncologist, it was how you were guided and the mentors you found along the way so if you could talk to, you know, young people and you will because like I said, we've had requests for this who are thinking about medicine who want to be doctors now what are some give give three key pieces of advice for folks who are thinking about becoming physicians now on anything on how to decide if Medical School is the right path for you how to find your path. What do you think, what are some important things for folks to consider now who were thinking about medicine.
Dr. Paula
Okay that's Oh those are good,
Dr. Tiffany
It's a lot
Dr. Paula
but they're good right they're great questions. Awesome, so, so I think, first and foremost, I'm going to I'm going to start with. If I had to choose again today. What I was going to do. I think I choose the same thing knowing what I know now. And so I think that when you're looking for a career in general. I would recommend that people look for things that give them options. And one of the beauties of medicine, in my opinion, is that it gives you so many options. It is. You can certainly be taken care of patients one on one. You can be an administrator, if you want so you can run the hospital business or even your, your practice business, or you can go into industry, as I did after a certain period of time, you can be...When I say be about the numbers and the research, you can do only research and never see a patient. So I think the beauty of medicine is that it gives you the freedom to be all of yourselves. And the self that you are at 30, versus who you are at 45 versus who you are at 65 are very different. And, and so with a medical degree, you can do what is best for you at any one of those life stages and so for me, one of the reasons why I went into industry was because I did actually want to have a more balanced work, and outside of work life. And for me, I was having difficulty doing that in academic medicine. And so, industry gave me a way that, to address the same issues that I really liked or manipulate that same type of information, but I also played competitive tennis again, and that made me really happy. And in the end that makes, a better life right for every one for all the people that you're working with and I can certainly say for all of us during this pandemic. What you realize is when I'm happier, everybody around me is happy.
Dr. Karen
Isn't that something?
Dr. Paula
So, does that answer your question?
Dr. Karen
Let me tell you something. Y'all, she said medicine allows you to be all of yourselves, right,
Dr. Tiffany
I love that
Dr. Karen
your best selves at that like I
Dr. Zanetta
During your transitions of life, and I think that's so important because when you're 19, 20 years old and you're like okay I'm going to take MCAT so I'm going to medical school, you can't imagine your life at 30, at 40, and 50, you don't know what you want and so I think that's really important, and it's something that I don't think I even thought about. So now is 40 is approaching me and the things I care about are really different.
Dr. Paula
Absolutely, absolutely. That's one of the things that I've loved, and then I also, I have to be honest, right, I think, you know, for me, I do. I always wanted to feel like I was contributing in some way. And, and I do realize in retrospect that you know maybe I could have been a stylist because if you make people feel like they look good, then they're kinder and all sorts of things to other people because they feel good about themselves right so, but I wasn't that, that aware when I was younger and, but what I like about medicine is, I want to have real conversations with people. That's the beauty of oncology actually it is the place where, where you can really ask someone what matters the most to you. And then you know that you are there to help them make that happen, and fabulous. What a gift. And I will say that Dr. Karen, oh my gosh Sara Donaldson, a very famous pediatric radiation oncologist or radiation oncologist period was one of the first people at Stanford who helped me really understand that you are your patients champion. I mean like that is still, like, you know, that was 30 years ago and it's still almost brings me to tears. She was, she is was amazing
Dr. Karen
Yeah, Dr. Z, what do you always tell patients, I mean I'm trying to think as we've talked about this on our podcast.
Dr. Tiffany
We've had an episode about this, right or two. Yeah,
Dr. Zanetta
well I always like to say, you know, you are the CEO of your body, I am the consultant, you know, I will advise you but what my goals are, are to help you through this process I want to give you all the information and make sure you're fully informed so that you know what's best for you. I'll give you all the data. I'll recommend but at the end of the day, we're walking this journey together. And so really if the thing about oncology, That's so important and you call it a gift and I agree with that. It's a gift because we're meeting patients at the most vulnerable part of their lives. And, and we can help them and, and there are so many different ways to do it I know Dr. O'Connor mentioned the word industry, and so some people may not know what industry means so we have clinical medicine where you may see patients one on one, but there are also other types of things that you can do in, in, in medicine, one is like working with pharmaceutical companies to help create medications to be used by patients. There are other industries that can be used, that help to to reach patients so we just use the generic term industry, but it encompasses so many different things.
Dr. Karen
So, yeah. Oh my goodness, this has been so inspiring. So Dr. Paula, we're gonna take a little bit of a break and you know we want to come back and then talk a little bit more about some specifics in terms of the work that you've done in industry. Talk a little bit about disparities healthcare disparities, a little about my ultra myeloma as well. So we'll be right back.
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Oncopeptides is a rapidly growing biotech company focused on the development of targeted therapies for difficult to treat hematological diseases. The company is science driven and committed to bringing innovation to patients with an unmet medical need and improving patient lives. Like what you hear. Make sure you rate and subscribe. 3 Black Docs is available wherever you get your podcasts. 3 Black Docs is not intended as medical advice. All opinions are our own. 3 Black Docs it's Produced by Winkz Productions.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai