Nicole Fontenot, DO

Hometown: Cave City, Arkansas
Undergraduate Degree: Arkansas State University
Medical Degree: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine - Jonesboro, AR
Internship: Transitional Year - Baptist Desoto

Why did you choose Baptist?

The reason I chose Baptist is multifactorial. Since I have two kids,
I wanted to stay close to home. I also knew that Baptist would provide
me with the education and the tools to succeed in private practice.
Since we do not have fellows, we work side by side with our attendings
and are given a ton of autonomy to build our skills in every facet of
radiology. We also have excellent moonlighting, which is very helpful
when the student loan payments start knocking at your door.

What is your day like?  Any challenges?  What’s rewarding about your day?

Day to day life varies depending on what rotation you are on. Most of
our shifts are either 8-5 or 7-4, with noon conferences every day. We
face challenges daily, as radiology is a field of medicine that is
constantly evolving. Every day is something new since we have a
diverse patient population, we are constantly seeing pathology
presented in new and exciting ways. The most rewarding part of my day
is when we are able to truly help other providers take care of the
patients they are caring for bedside.

What is your favorite thing about Memphis?

My favorite thing about Memphis is the food scene. We have some truly
great restaurants and a great variety in types of cuisine.

What made you decide on your career?  Was there someone or something
in your life that helped you choose your path?

In my past life, before medical school, I was a CT and X-ray
technologist who worked at a children's hospital for 5 year. While
obtaining my undergraduate degree, I had a clinical rotation at a
small community hospital. The radiologist there was an amazing teacher
and inspired me to pursue medical school to become a radiologist. It
has been a long journey to get to this stage in my training, but I
wouldn't change it for anything. I still am happy to go to work
everyday.

Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?

The training at Baptist is exceptional. I truly feel like the
education we get at this program would be hard to beat by anything
other than the program. We have the unique advantage of being able to
service both rural and urban communities, and all of the pathology and
conditions that come with those patients. We are a high volume
practice that will have you very well prepared for practice when you
graduate.