Member of the Week: Dr. Carissa Monroy

Practice: I am currently working at Sacred Circle Healthcare where I serve as medical director. I just started working at this organization a few months ago and I really love what I am doing. The job change was what I needed to re-ignite my passion for medicine. Our clinic’s primary mission is to serve the Goshute tribe of Utah, and we manage a clinic on their reservation, but our main clinics are in the Salt Lake Valley. We see a diverse group of patients, primarily Native Americans and the underserved and marginalized patients in our community. As medical director I see patients half of the time and do administrative work the other half. It is a good balance for me right now and I am enjoying the personal learning and growth.

Residency: McKay Dee Family Medicine Residency

A bit about Dr. Monroy: I am from the Sugarhouse area in Salt Lake City – in fact, I currently live about a mile away from where I grew up. I did leave Utah briefly and attended Stanford University, but then returned for medical school at University of Utah and have stayed ever since. I met my husband, Franz Monroy, in med school (he is also a family medicine physician). We have three kids, ages 12, 9, 6. We try to drag them out of the house to ski in the winter and hike in the summer.

What keeps you passionate about family medicine? Mentoring and teaching others. When I talk to others about family medicine I am reminded of why I do it and how much I love it (even though the day to day grind can make that hard to remember)

Where will we find you on your day off? Skiing, mountain biking, reading, shopping at Nordstrom Rack, making myself lunch to eat in peace alone at home while watching Parks and Rec.

What are you…
reading right now: Intimacies (Katie Kitamura) and Afterparties (Anthony Veasna So)

watching right now: The Morning Show with my husband and The Office with my 12 year old

listening to right now: Duran Duran Greatest Hits