The LAFP is excited to recognize Dr. Pamela Wiseman as our December Member oof the Month. Dr. Wiseman grew up in rural Louisiana and attended Loyola University in New Orleans. She graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed her residency training at the University of Missouri Columbia in Family Medicine, where she was a Chief Resident.
Dr. Wiseman is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at LSUHSC-New Orleans. She holds the Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education and the Susan M. Leary and Richard A. Culberson Professorship in Family Medicine. Dr. Wiseman also serves as the third-year medical student Clerkship Director. She also has a clinical practice seeing patients at the University Medical Center New Orleans and precepting FM residents at LSU-Ochsner Residency in Kenner. She also serves as the Medical Director of the West Jefferson School-Based Health Center, and helped to open the Jefferson Parish SBHC's in 2000.
We asked Dr. Wiseman to talk about how she chose to become a family physician. She stated, “I was inspired by my high school physics teacher in Loranger, Louisiana, Mrs. Diane Hughes, who believed in my ability to pursue medicine. I chose Family Medicine because I wanted to be the kind of physician that didn't say, ‘I don't do that.’ I wanted to care for my patients during all stages of their lives and for their extended families”. She continued, “My favorite aspect of being a Family Physician is the relationships I've built with patients over time. Patients often feel like old friends. I also really enjoy balancing all the complex issues that patients have to discover where we need to focus our efforts to make the biggest difference for the patient.”
Dr. Wiseman highly values clinical education and is deeply committed to working with the next generation of family physicians. In addition to her other roles, Dr. Wiseman serves as an advisor to the FMIG at LSU Health New Orleans. We asked her what advice she offers to medical students. She stated, “Before committing to a specialty, I advise medical students to understand what day to day life in the "real world of medicine" is like for their specialty. Family Medicine Residency was excellent preparation for taking care of a panel of patients in real life. I also advise medical students to discover what gives them purpose, satisfaction, even joy, and then choose a path where they can include those things in their career.”
When asked about how we can attract more medical students to family medicine, she stated, “Sharing with students the parts of our job that we treasure and love, that make all the other tasks worthwhile, is a good way to attract students. Systemic change to support primary care as a Common Good is needed to truly produce the number of family physicians that are needed.’
Her clinical interests include nutrition, behavioral change, mental health, and school health. Away from the clinical setting she enjoys yoga, hiking, foraging, reading and hanging out with her granddaughter. She is a mom to 4 adult children and grandmother to her 6-year-old granddaughter.
Please help us congratulate Pamela Wiseman, MD as our December Member of the Month!
LAFP’s Member of the Month program highlights Louisiana family physicians in the Weekly Family Medicine Update and on the LAFP website. We feature a biography and a Q&A with a different LAFP member each month and his or her unique approach to family medicine. If you know an outstanding family physician colleague who you think should be featured as a Member of the Month or if you’d like to tell your own story, nominate yourself or your colleague by contacting Lee Ann Albert at