Dr. Soegaard was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in El Paso but now calls Baton Rouge home. She graduated in 2015 from Texas A&M University with a degree in Biology and attended medical school at the American University of the Caribbean. She is currently a third-year resident at the Baton Rouge General Family Medicine Residency Program.

Dr. Soegaard’s father is an OB/GYN who currently practices in Florida. Watching him interact with his patients in clinic in El Paso was the inspiration to become a physician. We asked Dr. Soegaard why she chose family medicine. She stated, “When I started med school, I thought I wanted to go into OB or psych. During my family medicine rotation at the Baton Rouge General FMRP, I began to understand the connections you can make with patients.” She continued, “Something about family medicine that surprised me was just how much you get to interact with your patients. My favorite kind of appointments are when my patients bring their family members along and they tell me about their day-to-day life. Family medicine allows me to not only connect with my patients but also the entire family. That is what I love about family medicine.”

As a third-year resident, Dr. Soegaard has the opportunity to interact with medical students rotating through the residency program. She works hard to offer the students a welcoming, learning environment. We asked Dr. Soegaard what is one piece of advice that you would offer to medical students today. She stated, “My advice for medical students is to choose a specialty that you love. If you love what you do, you won’t ever work a day in your life.”

Dr. Soegaard is married to Elijah. In her spare time, she enjoys curling up with a good book or looking for new recipes to try. She and Elijah love to travel, especially to Colorado to enjoy hiking. After graduation, Dr. Soegaard plans to work at a primary care clinic in Baton Rouge.

Help us congratulate Dr. Soegaard on being recognized as our May Member of the Month!