Why I Work Here: Shiela Julin, Graduate Medical Education

Shiela Julin joined Michigan Medicine in 2010.

Michigan Medicine is a world-class destination for patient care, education and research, thanks to its exceptional faculty and staff. Headlines wanted to hear firsthand why employees chose Michigan Medicine to make their contributions to health care.

Employees like Shiela Julin, an accreditation specialist in Graduate Medical Education (GME). Shiela has been with the organization for seven years and helps to coordinate compliance with accredited graduate medical education programs, fellowships and residencies — all while ensuring that the institution meets the requirements of various state and federal regulatory associations.

That means she must stay in constant communication with roughly 85 program coordinators at any one time.

“I’m never bored,” Shiela said with a laugh. “But it feels so good to know that I’m helping U-M stay at the top of the graduate medical education field.”

While every day brings new challenges, Shiela said every day also offers reminders as to why Michigan Medicine is a unique destination for faculty, staff and students.

“Everyone here pays attention to the details,” Shiela said. “There’s a human side to medicine — whether you’re in education, research or patient care — and I think U-M focuses on that and carries that out each day.”

One such day stands out in Shiela’s mind. As she was walking through Taubman Center several years ago, the familiar chords of a piano filled the air:

“It was a Tuesday and it had already been a difficult week. I was focused on all of the work I had to do, the long hours, the looming deadlines — it was easy to get mired down in self-pity. Luckily, it only took a moment to gain a fresh perspective. I rounded the corner and stopped in front of the seating area adjacent to the piano. There, I saw a patient in his wheelchair.

I took a closer look and this particular patient appeared to be swaddled in blankets, almost as if he’d just recently come from surgery. His family member was standing there ready to take him home, but she wasn’t pushing. Instead, the two were motionless, just listening to the beautiful melody coming from the piano. My attention was then drawn to the pianist and his long white coat and my heart was full. That doctor was offering a reprieve from a difficult time for the patient and companion — he was putting into practice the idea that a patient’s experience is so much more than simply the work that is carried out in the clinic, classroom or lab.

That’s why I work here: I’m inspired by the people I see every day. I draw inspiration from the resiliency of our patients. I draw inspiration from the unwavering support of those patients by their family members and friends. I draw inspiration from every single employee that is committed to coming to work and doing their best, no matter what role they play. I draw inspiration from the organization’s mission to create the future of health care and all that the statement means. And I draw inspiration my coworkers in GME, whom I consider to be my family.

It is all of those individuals who bring Shiela back to work each day with a smile on her face.

“At Michigan Medicine, we’re so important to those we serve,” Shiela said. “Simply put, we’re everything to them at what might be a very difficult time in their lives — and that’s a responsibility nobody here takes for granted. It’s an incredibly rewarding place to work.”

Why do you work at Michigan Medicine? Email your story to headlines@med.umich.edu. It could be featured in an upcoming issue of Headlines!