I survived medical training; now I’m testing myself on the road

I want to start by expressing how grateful I am. No goal is achieved alone. I am deeply grateful for the support of my family and closest friends.

The path to medicine

I grew up in a rural town in Nebraska with the dream of being a doctor. No one in my family had yet earned a four-year degree, much less pursued graduate training. I had no idea what the path to an MD degree would require. After graduating from high school, I left home without hesitation. There was no financial safety net or plan B; I was determined to achieve my goal.

My extracurricular activities were practical: reducing student debt and developing my science resume. Looking back, college Britt had fun but also missed out on many traditional rites of passage. It seemed there was too much at stake to take additional risks.

Medical school put pressure on good exam results that shaped future opportunities. Clinical rotations were a grueling introduction to medicine, defined by pre-dawn arrivals, long hours in the hospital, and the humbling challenge of administering patients’ treatments while also learning the knowledge necessary to care for them well. Fortunately, by then I had perfected my study habits and gained more freedom. I began traveling in my limited free time and, through residency interviews, became comfortable with solo adventures.

Medical School Graduation Photo, NE, May 2015

By the time I graduated from medical school, I was curious enough about the outdoors to look for life beyond the Midwest. Starting the residency in Seattle changed everything. With North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic National Parks nearby, a new world opened up. In 2015, I took my first backcountry camping trips (to Lake Angeles and Rialto Beach on the Olympic Peninsula) and I remember thinking: «All other places of residence are now ruined for me.»

First Backcountry Camping Trip in Olympic NP, WA, Fall 2015

I later moved to Providence, Rhode Island to train in my medical specialty. On free weekends, he drove north to hike through New Hampshire and Vermont, exploring sections of the Long Trail and summiting some of New England’s highest peaks. When I decided to subspecialize, I felt it was worth it to trade mountains for city parks to train at the Cleveland Clinic. While in Cleveland, I met the man who would become my husband and together we moved to Colorado, where I practiced full-time until January 2026.

Maroon Bells, CO Family Hike, Fall 2024

Why am I pressing Pause?

Thirteen years is a long time to pursue a single goal. The version of Britt who graduated high school had no idea how her path to a PhD would shape (and sometimes set) her. I truly love caring for kind, grateful patients and working alongside brilliant doctors, and those relationships will always call me back. But medicine has taken as much from me as it has given me. It strained close relationships. It required spending long hours between life, illness and death. He denied my presence at birthdays, weddings, funerals and important holidays. It changed the way I saw the human body, illness and mortality. Sometimes it was all-consuming.

In the last year, I’ve finally started to question the trajectory of my life after such a huge undertaking. Much of what I have accomplished seems to have been created for a resume. I’ve lived on the margins (weekends and short trips) and have been lucky to see much of the world this way. But what could I learn about myself with more time?

Now seems like the right time to pause, reflect and recharge.

Taking a break on Highline Trail, MT, 2020

Why am I hiking?

The short answer: I’m curious enough to try it.

The long answer: I have already endured a long and exhausting journey. Why not try another one? I know physical, mental and emotional exhaustion well. Hiking will bring many of the same challenges.

I am well aware of my status as a beginner in the field. I only know about hiking from social media and what I’ve researched online. I have never spent weeks in the field. Most of my trips have been short and shared with friends. Lihat juga mnb4. But every night I spent outside left me wanting to learn and experience more. The thought of quiet miles and solitude in the mountains feels less intimidating and more like something my soul needs.

Mount Yale Summit, CO, Summer 2021

That doesn’t mean I’m not afraid. I worry about cold nights, strange sounds outside my tent, and unexpected encounters with wildlife. I will make many mistakes. I would hate to fail. But I hope these fears matter less than the opportunity to learn more about myself and deepen my appreciation for the mountains and their wild beauty.

Am I able to hike? The truth is that I still don’t know.

But it seems like a question worth answering.

American Lake Trail, CO, Summer 2025

I’m thrilled to announce that I will be sharing my journey as a Blogger for TheTrek.co, as I prepare and finally embark on my (almost) 500 mile southbound hike on the Colorado Trail (CT) this summer.

happy paths,
Britt

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