Dr. Erkeda DeRouen talks to Dr. Tamara Beckford, a board-certified emergency physician in Houston, Texas. She has been practicing emergency medicine for more than a decade now across America. In 2020, she founded UR Caring Docs which is a telemedicine service, platform, and community that aims to promote wellness and combat medical misinformation online.
Today Dr. Erkeda chats with Dr. Tamara Beckford about what it’s like in the ER during the pandemic and her advocacy for self-care with UR Caring Docs.
- [00:35] Dr. Beckford’s Medical Journey and Background
- [02:47] Why Emergency Medicine?
- [07:05] Working at the ER during COVID-19
- [14:58] UR Caring Docs
- [18:54] What Dr. Beckford would Change about Healthcare
- [21:50] Dr. Beckford’s Advice to Pre-Meds and Medical Students
Why Emergency Medicine?
Dr. Beckford was always interested in the sciences as a kid. Her family supported her interest by sending her to summer programs where she could be exposed to the various fields of healthcare. During one summer, she had the opportunity to shadow a doctor. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to become a physician herself!
Fast forward to medical school, Dr. Beckford tried to gain experience in different specializations. With emergency medicine, she found it easy to connect with the physicians there the most. Now as an emergency physician herself, Dr. Beckford finds fulfillment in patient interactions and in executing procedures. The ER sees a multitude of cases spanning different disciplines, so it’s never boring. She gets to encounter patients and other doctors from all fields of medicine.
Emergency Medicine during a Global Pandemic
During the early days of the pandemic, it was especially challenging to work at the ER because there was very little information about the coronavirus.. Dr. Beckford had to face the situation head on despite all the uncertainty. She did her best to take precautions in order to protect herself, her patients, and her family. At the time, Dr. Beckford’s child was hospitalized for respiratory issues so she really could not risk getting infected. She and her husband planned for worst case scenarios in case they got sick and even put up a decontamination area in their home. As the pandemic is still ongoing to this day, Dr. Beckford is able to power through by constantly reminding herself of her why.
What is UR Caring Docs?
UR Caring Docs is a platform that provides information about health and wellness, enabling people to make the best decisions about their own health. Dr. Beckford also hosts the Docs Who Care Podcast where she interviews medical practitioners and researchers about dental care, weight loss, pregnancy, oncology and other topics. UR Caring Docs has a community called UR Caring Society. In this online group, Dr. Beckford and expert guests educate and encourage women on how to prioritize their personal wellness first.
To learn more about UR Caring Docs, visit their website. Follow and reach out to Dr. Tamara Beckford on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Got questions, feedback, or suggestions? Send a message to Dr. Erkeda DeRouen’s Instagram or MedSchoolCoach’s Instagram.
