Celebrating Women in Sport and Physical Activity - Profiles
Dr. Jaida Bourke Fitzgerald, '06 - 2017 Honoree
Dr. Jaida Bourke Fitzgerald, '06
Anesthesiologist, Boston
Children's Hospital
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As an anesthesiologist at one of the country's leading pediatric hospitals, Jaida Bourke Fitzgerald, ’06, often needs to communicate well under pressure.
Fitzgerald, who played basketball for Grand Valley, said she polished her communication skills when she was a student athlete on the basketball court and is grateful for the leadership skills she learned.
"A huge advantage of coming from an athletic background is having the ability to communicate well," she said. "Communication at the hospital is so important, whether it's with patients, their families, or other physicians. Having the ability to speak up and also to listen well is something that has helped me throughout my career."
Fitzgerald earned three varsity letters and was a member of the 2006 NCAA Division II women's basketball national championship team. Current women's basketball head coach Mike Williams was an assistant during that time.
Fitzgerald grew up in Windsor, Ontario. Her older brother, Josh Bourke, played left tackle for the Lakers. "We had a lot of fun being at Grand Valley at the same time. We had, generally, the same circle of friends," she said.
From an early age Fitzgerald planned to be a physician, her father is an obstetrician. She majored in biomedical sciences while at Grand Valley, and then was accepted into Wayne State University's School of Medicine.
"I loved being in the city of Detroit and being closer to my family," she said.
Through clinical rotations, Fitzgerald worked in a number of specialties in different Detroit hospitals before deciding to focus on anesthesiology. "It's a combination of thinking through the processes of the physiology of medicine, and being able to intervene with a patient, if needed, and see immediate results."
Fitzgerald completed an anesthesiology fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and then joined the staff at Boston Children's Hospital.
"Being in pediatrics sometimes takes a toll emotionally, but it's so rewarding to be able to help children and give them a nice recovery from surgery," she said.
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