In honor of #WomeninMedicine Month, the UAB Department of Surgery is kicking off a new Q&A series to showcase some of our favorite women in surgery.

This week, we’re talking with Virginia Pierce, M.D., who serves as an assistant professor in the Division of Acute Care Surgery.

What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?

I am a third-generation physician. My grandfather, father, uncle and sister are/were all doctors, and most of us graduated from UAB.

Why did you decide to go into surgery?

I have always wanted to be a doctor and, specifically, a surgeon. I loved every rotation in medical school but truly felt at “home” when I discovered surgery. As an acute care surgeon, being able to take someone with a problem and fix it, especially in the setting of a traumatic event, really spoke to my heart.

What are some of the struggles you’ve faced as a woman in medicine?

Time management will always be No. 1 – trying to be the best physician I can to my patients while making sure I am present for my family. It is a difficult balance but leads to amazing rewards.