Alana graduated from Princeton with a B.A. in molecular biology and certificates in French literature and African American studies. She is currently based in Pennsylvania, where she serves as the Network medical director for pediatric emergency medicine at a health system, as well as a practicing pediatric ER doctor. Her pediatric consulting business is focused on transforming pediatric emergency medicine in the community.

Career x Identity: Conversations with Alumni provides students a look into alumni career trajectories with a main focus on intersections of career and identity. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What does identity mean to you and how would you describe your own identity?

I identify as African American. I was born and raised in Philadelphia and went to a predominantly white school. My identity played a large role in being comfortable with who I am — it certainly played a role in terms of how I perceive myself and how others perceive me. Thankfully, I had very involved parents so I always felt comfortable in my own skin and confident in my abilities and whatever I wanted to pursue. Growing up in these settings, I saw how that sometimes wasn’t the case for other students who may have been black or of different racial or ethnic backgrounds. Having a good sense of self-worth, being confident and believing in yourself is critical and having this type of lens was really helpful for me growing up.

How has your identity and how you view yourself impacted your career exploration and the path you’ve taken?

I deal with pediatrics, and the fact that children are already conditioned to expect certain types of figures in certain roles was very concerning to me. And it’s exposure, right? It’s not a matter of someone being smart or ambitious enough, it’s the fact that if they don't see any doctors that look like them, it's not on their radar that they could potentially do that. I made sure to do mentorship and give that exposure to people in my career. It's perfectly fine if someone doesn't want to be a doctor, but having the opportunity to explore the medical field and know a physician first-hand is an invaluable resource.

How do you go about figuring out what kind of work environment/company is right for you?

Every individual is different. For example, I like big cities. Some people like to be in a work environment with people who look like them, and some prefer more of a diverse group. Having that honest conversation with yourself in terms of what your priorities are and what you want your workplace to look like is the first thing. Once you figure that out, don't be shy about seeking that out. If you want to be in a space where you aren’t a minority, and you find a company where everything else aligns but that seems to be a deficit, be open about talking about that. Ask questions like “what is the company's mission for recruitment and retention in this area,” “what efforts are being done to address this,” or “who are the experts and consultants who are going to help with that in a constructive way?” You’ll get a lot of insight from the way these questions are answered – if they seem put off or dismissive, that'll give you the answer right there if you're going to be comfortable working in that environment. On the other hand, if it seems like it's a priority and that they are taking concrete steps, then that’s more comforting. Metrics are also important. Just hearing, “we’d like to improve when it comes to diversity” from a company is not sufficient — they have to have a plan and experts who are going to be able to assist in the evaluation and biography of the company itself, in order to see what systematic changes need to be made to improve the numbers.

Another thing that’s always important to me is having clarity about the chain of command. Who are you reporting to directly? Who's responsible for what? What are your responsibilities on the job? A lot of time you can see certain biases play out that are extremely subjective in terms of evaluation of certain groups of people, so having this clarity helps keep people accountable in these processes.

Any advice on how to have those conversations?

I tell the residents I work with to set expectations on the first day of their rotation. Know who‘s evaluating you and what criteria they’re using. You want to make sure that you’re learning and executing, and that the evaluator is held accountable to teach. This is simply a conversation — ask for a list of expectations and for frequent feedback so that you can build rapport and have more data points to correct if there’s an issue. 

In the moment, if an issue comes up, you have to read the room. When it comes to me, I never want to embarrass a colleague in front of a patient, so asking to speak for a few minutes afterwards in situations like that is always appropriate. Then, from there, it’s really just about being honest and not having any judgment. You definitely don't want to try to address these things when you're very upset or angry, because most times it's just not going to be productive. I know some people are not naturally assertive, so it’s helpful to practice those conversations with someone you’re comfortable with, like friends and family.

What advice would you give to students as they reflect on their identities and how these identities might affect their career choices?

If you take an interest in something, seeking people out in that field and talking with as many people as you can is really helpful. Try to be open about what your concerns are. Having those conversations is going to help you get a picture of what a certain career looks like for someone who may look like you or identify similarly. I’d also suggest making a list of questions and concerns that you can have in your back pocket. 

How have your mentors helped you answer some of these questions and get clarity on what kind of career you want to pursue?

My parents played a huge role in terms of guiding me in how to approach seeking certain careers, going on interviews, and things to think about and take into consideration. I have been lucky every step of the way, be it residency and having great mentorship from my program director with whom I’m still in contact or be it my fellowship and linking up with fantastic mentors who have been incredibly supportive. They all really helped me figure out my goals and what I want my medical career to look like.

Being an active mentee is really important and you should take that seriously. Make sure that you’re engaged, inquisitive, have questions, and that you follow up. That's going to help your mentor be the best mentor they can be for you. So, think about what’s most helpful to get guidance on. Is it career navigation? Life choice decisions? Navigating conflict? This is going to make their job easier as they help guide you.