Name: Vincent Chan

Medical Title/Credentials: MD - Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine

IG: @vinpin 

School/Program: 

Case Western Reserve University - Medical School
Harbor UCLA Medical Center - Internal Medicine Residency
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center - Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship

Favorite Hobbies: Graphic design & Trying new restaurants

Why did you choose this profession? When I was a medical student, I knew I wanted to care for acutely ill patients with a holistic approach. I thought this meant having a deep understanding of patient physiology across multiple disciplines. At the same time, I was nervous about being in the Intensive Care Unit and having to make medical decisions that could rapidly impact life and death.

As I started my intern year in 2009, I was thrown into the H1N1 pandemic, and I soon realized that in addition to diagnosing and treating complex medical issues, caring for these individuals also meant treating patients and their loved ones with compassion and open communication, whether it’s early in their hospital course or nearing their end of life. I got over my fear of the Intensive Care Unit and chose to pursue a career in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

Biggest Inspiration: My father inspired me to pursue medicine. I have also had wonderful mentors through each stage of my training who helped shape me into the physician I am today.

Current Passion Project: Outside of the hospital, I have been designing enamel pins for healthcare professionals. In June of 2020, I produced my first pin, which was funded by my institution and given to our residents, nurses, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists for their hard work and dedication fighting the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Since then, I have opened a small business, VINPIN, where I sell enamel pins for healthcare workers and donate the proceeds to charity.

Within the hospital, I have been developing an ultrasound curriculum aimed at Internal Medicine residents, Hospitalists, and Nurse Practitioners. My goal with this curriculum is to empower bedside clinicians to make targeted clinical decisions with point of care ultrasonography, which will hopefully reduce hospital days and improve patient outcomes.

Fun Fact: I have two cats

Do you have any advice for others interested in entering your field? Medicine can be a difficult field to succeed in, but if there is anything I have learned throughout my training and career, it is that the best doctors are not the ones with the best grades or the highest scores. They are the ones who believe in the work they do and truly advocate for the patients they care for.

Any other piece of advice, motivational quote, or message you would like to share? Fortune is nothing more than loving what you do. - Jason Mraz