Q: What led you to family medicine?

Dr. Jordan: I knew from a very young age — in elementary school — that I wanted to be a physician. In college, I worked with the athletic department at the University of Alabama as an atheltic trainer, and our team physician was a family physician who specialized in sports medicine. Through that experience, I knew I wanted to do the same thing. I really enjoyed the family rapport he has with his patients, the highly competitive athletes, the focus on wellness and exercise, and how much of a difference he has made in his patients' lives.

Q: What is a typical day for you?

Dr. Jordan: I work in my office practice four days a week for about 10 hours a day. I also see patients in our local nursing home. I utilize our hospitalist for inpatient care for my patients, although this is a relatively new change for me. I am active with my children's schools and sports activities, as well as with my church. I have a work hard-play hard mentality. I enjoy my work but I work hard, and then after work is my time to spend with my family and friends. I am also active with the AAFP and travel routinely for meetings and conferences. I usually take my family with me on these trips so they can enjoy the experience of new cities and reunite with friends in the medical community.

Q: How have things changed since you entered the field?

Dr. Jordan: The biggest change has been the advent of hospitalist care, which has definitely improved my lifestyle.

Q: What surprised you most as a new physician?

Dr. Jordan: My biggest surprise was the cost of owning my own practice, which was profitable after only three months. However, the initial sticker shock of overhead definitely made me nervous. I feel we need to do a better job of explaining to students the true cost of running a practice, and this is something we are working on at the AAFP.