Summary Of Heart In The Right Place

“Heart in the Right Place” by Carolyn Jourdan is the author’s telling of experiences she encountered while working at her father’s clinic in the Tennessee mountains. Carolyn’s father is a doctor who works at a medical practice in a rural and underserved area of Tennessee. The author grew up with her family in Tennessee, but she ended up going on to pursue a master’s degree and moved to Washington, where she worked as an attorney on Capitol Hill. She was successful in her career, but she returned to Tennessee when her mother had a heart attack. Carolyn’s mother worked at her father’s medical practice as a receptionist, but when she was admitted into the hospital after having a heart attack, Carolyn was called to come and fill in her spot for 2 days while she recovered. However, days turned into
Due to being located in an underserved area, the medical practice that Carolyn’s father ran is not what is likely thought of when thinking of a medical practice. In this medical practice, there are no appointments and every patient is seen regardless of their insurance or financial status. Additionally, Carolyn’s father was the only physician in a nearby radius of the community, so there was never a day off for the practice. Through this drastic shift in the work environment, Carolyn found herself in situations that she would have never expected. By working in this environment, Carolyn learned the importance of a close-knit community and making the best of the circumstances that you are put in. As Carolyn retells a collection of stories from this experience, a glimpse is given into what it is like in the life of a rural medicine practice. These stories show the powerful impact that compassion and a strong sense of community can have in the healing process. Reading this book was an experience that caused me to reflect on my privilege and be grateful for everything I