Hooked on Primary Care with Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH, CPH, FAAFP

I entered medical school thinking I was going to be a pediatrician.

My years as an early care provider and educator had instilled in me a love for working with children. But as I progressed through medical school, I discovered how much I enjoyed caring for patients of all ages and in all settings. I loved the fast-paced nature of inpatient medicine, where I could witness the immediate impact of treatments, like seeing fluid melt off a patient during a congestive heart failure exacerbation. I found immense satisfaction in working with my hands —excising a squamous cell carcinoma, placing an IUD, or stitching up a laceration. The thrill of delivering babies — bringing new life into the world — never grew old. And, of course, I still cherished caring for newborns and kiddos.

Like many of my peers, I chose family medicine because I couldn’t imagine giving up any of these experiences. I thrived on connecting one-on-one with patients across all stages of life, partnering with their families and making lasting changes that truly mattered.

It wasn’t until residency and beyond that I grasped the profound scope of family medicine. Beyond the privilege of caring for patients, I discovered a deep passion for advocacy — advocating for my patients, for my colleagues and for family medicine itself. My background in public health illuminated the systemic barriers my patients faced. Social determinants of health, like food insecurity or housing instability, weren’t abstract concepts, they were daily realities shaping their pregnancies, chronic diseases and overall well-being.

What began as a love for “everything” evolved into a mission. Family medicine offers me the chance to be a lifelong learner, a champion for my patients and community and a voice for systemic change. Selfishly, it’s about finding fulfillment in leaving a legacy, a way to create lasting change. Yet selflessly, it’s also about making a meaningful impact — leaving the world a little better than we found it. This blend of purpose and passion creates a light that shines brightly; one I’m confident will never burn out.

Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH, CPH, FAAFP
New physician member, American Academy of Family Physicians