Juggling two medical practices and three children under nine (Jordan, age 9, Jack, age 7 and Anna, age 5) is no easy task. Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Zapp focuses her energies between Sterling Family Practice, Loudoun Medical Aesthetics and her family, working about thirty-two hours per week. At Sterling Family Practice (SFP) the office offers pediatric, gynecological, sports and internal medicine.A year ago, Liz opened Loudoun Medical Aesthetics (LMA) in Sterling, Virginia. Here she personally provides chemical peels, microdermabrasion, laser skin resurfacing, hair removal, leg vein treatment, photorejuvination and Botox. She admits a career in medicine can consume every waking moment, which is why having some down time is so important to her. "I try very hard to set boundaries and plan time for friends, family, and myself," says Liz.
To relax, she does yoga, enjoys a glass of wine/good meal with friends or family, goes to spas, reads, hikes, bikes and rock climbs. Liz has a solid support system in her family. Her husband, Greg, "has always been very supportive of everything that I do and expends endless energy raising our kids, helping at home, and managing his own career." Her parents take care of the kids while she’s at work.
Liz advises other women pursuing medical careers to: "Work hard to be the best doctor you can be, but also strive to find a balance. If you don't take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others."
Tell us a little bit about your training?
I graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1997 and did my residency training in Family Medicine at Crozer-Chester Medical Center outside of Philadelphia. I had gone to medical school on a full scholarship from the Navy, so after residency training, I started my active duty commitment. I worked as a staff physician in the Family Medicine department at Great Lakes Navy Hospital in Great Lakes, IL for 2 1/2 years. Then, I served at Bethesda Naval Medical Center for 2 years.
Why medicine?
I had a lot of influences growing up. My father exposed us to science and nature, and my mother was an amazing example of service and caring. Sports were a major part of my childhood - sailing, skiing, gymnastics, and running. That sparked my interest in health, nutrition and prevention medicine. Medicine was a perfect career that combined all of those interests with an opportunity to help others.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Putting patients at ease. Whether a patient is dealing with a new diagnosis, an unknown diagnosis, a sick family member or managing a chronic illness, I enjoy partnering with them in their care and taking the time to educate and encourage them. I enjoy seeing patients leave my office feeling empowered to handle their own health.
How do you emotionally deal with giving patients sad or negative news?
When I have to give bad news to patients, I try to be as honest as possible while always maintaining a positive attitude. For example, a patient I had taken care of for about a year was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The oncologists took over most of his care but he continued to see me every few months. We would spend a few minutes on his medical problems and then talk about how he was spending what would certainly be his last few months - reflecting on visits from his children and grandchildren and precious time with his wife and friends. By empathizing and helping patients through the difficult times, I comfort both the patient and myself.
Was it difficult transitioning back to work after having your kids?I had my kids during my residency training and while serving in the Navy, so I really had no choice to not return to work. I was lucky that my co-workers at both of those jobs were mostly young female doctors like myself who were also having babies and raising kids, dealing with the same issues, so it was like one big working-mom support group.
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