Jaguar Memoirs: An Oral History Project with Dr. Kathleen A. Pajer
Posted on December 6, 2021 by Alumni
Last spring, hundreds of alumni shared memories of their time as students at Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ Alabama. Over the next year, we will be sharing some of their stories with you. Whether they graduated a few years ago or several decades ago, their memories show the indelible mark that Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ has made on their lives.
Dr. Kathleen A. Pajer ’82
M.D., USA College of Medicine
“My husband at the time was a nuclear engineer in Pascagoula, Miss. I applied to the Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ because it was the closest medical school, but I am very glad that I did. It was a terrific educational environment, and I received excellent medical training.
“Since Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ was a relatively new medical school, we had numerous opportunities for hands-on experiences that were not possible at larger institutions with full complements of residents and fellows. When I went to Dartmouth and Yale for residency and fellowship respectively, I discovered that I had received better training in many domains than my colleagues.
“My experience at Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ was transformative in shaping the direction of my career. I was able to participate in basic research from the first year of training onward. I went on to become a clinician scientist, focusing most recently on strategies to improve the pediatric mental health service system in Canada. I'm currently the chair of a large department of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. I am grateful to Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ for such a strong start in my career and have fond memories of colleagues and professors, some of whom remain friends to this day.â€
