Before PA school, I spent five weeks in a cadet fire academy where I was introduced to the firefighter confidence course. Years later, the lessons from that training have followed me into medicine, leadership, parenthood, and life—especially what it taught me about composure, competence, discomfort, and making decisions when you cannot see the entire path.

We spend years building our careers, earning titles, and becoming good at what we do. But at some point, it’s worth asking what we’re building outside of work—and who we are beyond the profession.

Some of the most important parts of our lives have nothing to do with our job titles. After Rounds is a place to talk about what comes beyond the profession—the decisions, relationships, ambitions, challenges, and experiences that shape who we are when the shift ends.