Career Pathway

Hospice Physician
Dorece Norris, MD

How did you get in to HPM?
I began my medical career as an Infectious Disease specialist in Tampa in 1984, just as the HIV epidemic was evolving in our community. There were very few physicians willing to care for those in need, so my partner and I began providing primary care in addition to hospital based infectious disease consultation work. Having lived in Tampa since childhood, many of my patients were personal friends and my practice quickly became focused almost exclusively on primary care of those with HIV. The early years without therapy resulted in my approach being one of treating as many opportunistic infections as possible, delaying the inevitable, and providing palliative care for those at the end of life. I worked closely with Lifepath hospice, remaining the attending and performing home visits.

As effective therapy became available, many of my patients stabilized, living into maturity and developing the expected illnesses of Diabetes, heart disease, COPD, hypercholesterolemia, etc. While delighted that my patients and friends were living much longer and healthier, I found that an office-based, general internal medicine practice did not provide the same professional satisfaction for me. At the time, I did not understand my restlessness, until a dear friend asked me to be the attending for her son, whom I had known since early youth. Now, he was in his 40's and had developed Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (known as Lou Gerhig's Disease), a progressive, untreatable illness that usually results in death within 2-3 years. Tobi was progressing rapidly and the decision had been made to focus on comfort care at home. Once again, I found myself working with LifePath and making home visits. Providing palliative care and a comfortable death for Tobi and his family in an interdisciplinary team environment was the experience that enlightened me of my dissatisfaction with my current practice. I understood then that I needed to transition my career to that of a hospice and palliative care physician. Fortunately, LifePath Hospice had an opening for medical staff at that time and, with the mentoring of Dr. Deidre Woods and the support of the entire staff, I have had no second thoughts regarding paths not taken. I now have tremendous professional satisfaction providing the quality of life and palliative care through the end of life for our patients and intend to continue this career path in California.