ONE-ON-ONE | Gwendolyn Hughes Doctor's work at clinic turns from obligation to joy

What are you most proud of?
My children. They are my pride and joy, and what I basically live for.
Other than my children, I'd have to say it was the ATHENA Award, because it really recognized the Youngstown Community Health Center, which takes care of patients who are underinsured, uninsured and low socio-economic status.
[Dr. Hughes was the 2002 recipient of the ATHENA Award, which recognizes women for leadership, service and mentorship of other women].
But it doesn't matter what the situation is. The fact that we provide good quality and put our hearts and souls into it to make it work is what got recognized.
When I first came to the center from private practice, ... doors were slammed because my patients didn't have insurance or money. And I thought, you know, I'll be damned if I'm not going to provide good medicine here.
How did you come to practice in Youngstown?
I came here to fulfill my obligation to the National Health Service Corps for paying my way through school. I was one of those people who defaulted. After my training, I was pregnant, and they wanted to send me to Texas. I didn't go. Finally, after nine years, NHSC said I could go to Youngstown or keep fighting through the court system. I chose to come here and deal with it.
And you got hooked, didn't you?
Yeah, but it took a while. I had a program on my computer that counted the days, minutes, seconds, even weekends I had left.
But Dr. Dwinnells [Dr. Ronald Dwinnells, CEO of YCHC] and I are both quite stubborn. We wouldn't let the center go under.
We went from being $250,000 in debt to having enough money to pay our bills and give our employees a little bit of a bonus, which means more to us than anything. We have not laid anyone off in three years because of finances. We now have about 40 employees, three sites, and we just applied for a fourth site [in Alliance].
And now I'm really attached to my patients here, and I don't want to leave. Anyway, I think I'm a little old to restart a private practice. It's hard.
Who most influenced your life?
Definitely my parents, Raymond and Mary Dotts. Dad was minister at a small country church and Mom was a church organist and was an English teacher until I was born.
We really had nothing. But my mother always said it doesn't matter how poor you are. What's important is that you take responsibility for your actions, and that you're clean, and do what's right.
Why did you decide to become a doctor?
I decided I didn't ever want to have to depend on a man to make a living for me. And, I thought, the world will always need doctors. There's my reason. It was job security. I didn't care about a large amount of money. I just wanted to be able to take care of my family by myself if I needed to.
When did medicine become more than just a good job?
After about a year in my first private practice, it went from being just the science and worrying that I was going to kill someone to having a good idea what I knew and what I could handle. And I began to enjoy the patients.
Where do you go to get away from it all?
Home. I shut off my beeper ... shut off my cell phone. I have started doing yoga and lifting weights. It's good for my bones. I like to run ... just to get outdoors and not think about anything. It clears your head.
What is your favorite vacation?
The beach with all my family.
What is your pet peeve?
When people don't take responsibility for their actions and blame other people. I hate that. Why not just say, "I goofed up" or "I'm a lazy a--" or something.
What are you passionate about besides your family and work?
I have my faith in God. It's very important to me, but I'm not a vocal person about it and I swear way too much ... so people might have a question about that.
Is there some special thing for which you reserve some of your energy and time?
I really try to save a part of my mind so that I can focus on what is important in my 7-year-old's and my 15-year-old's lives that day.
I gotta add my husband in here. I hope when the kids are all gone and we have time, we'll like each other still.
What is there about you that even your closest friends might be surprised to know?
Probably that I'm religious, and that I'm really very shy. Things like this [interview] make me uncomfortable.