Matthew Man, MD, FACP
Primary Care Physician, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
— MEDICAL SCHOOL —
Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
— INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY —
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
What is your current position?
I practice primary care at one of the city health centers under the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
Where did you attend medical school and post grad training?
I attended medical school at Drexel University College of Medicine and completed my internal medicine residency at Temple University, both in Philadelphia, PA.
Why did you choose to become a physician?
As with many immigrant families, live-in grandparents were the childcare, so I spent much time with them. My grandparents spoke no English so by the time of early elementary school, I was their translator at doctors' appointments. I always left every appointment with an indescribably good feeling from being able to help them. My family and I were refugees from Cambodia so I was keenly aware of the vulnerabilities in such communities. I've always loved school and taking the most challenging courses so becoming a physician was the first and foremost thing I wanted to be.
What field of internal medicine did you select and why?
During my residency, I'd look to my left and right and see most of my colleagues pursuing fellowships. Instead of going with the crowd, I took an honest assessment of my personality, strengths, and interests and realized that I wanted to know all things well and not just one thing well. This is not a slight at specializing but rather a mental challenge I posed to myself for choosing internal medicine. For 10 years, I practiced hospital medicine and chose this career for the acuity and the pace of clinical results. Around 2019, an opportunity at one of the city health centers opened up. It happened to be a center located in South Philly where many of the patients were immigrants of southeast Asian background, including Cambodian. I maintained an ability to speak Khmer fluently so I decided to try the position. At first, I only worked a few shifts a month at the health center while still working as a hospitalist. I soon began to relish my role as caretaker for a disadvantaged community that came to trust and rely on me. I now solely practice as a primary care provider, something I never would have predicted coming out of residency.
Please describe a typical day in your practice.
I wake up very early—probably 3 to 4 hours before I have to start work—so I can fit in a run and read the news. My work day starts with transitioning my brain into thinking about medicine. For this, I'll either read an article, do some questions, or review a few ECGs to get me going. Then, I see patients through the morning and afternoon. Prior to seeing each patient, I like to review their history, updating any clinical information such as labs, procedures, or any medical event that has occurred in the interim. My job is very straightforward. It's pretty much just the patients and me. I'm not bogged down by meetings or phone calls, just as I prefer it.
What are some of your special interests professionally?
I don't have any classically defined special-interest projects, nor do I belong to a committee. I suppose my special interest is embedded in my particular job. Most of my patients are uninsured and don't speak English. In addition to providing routine primary care, I help my patients obtain life-sustaining medications that are prohibitively expensive and ensure that they are able to get lifesaving procedures and treatments that they otherwise cannot afford.
What are your interests and hobbies outside of medicine?
Reading. Traveling. I love spending time doing just about anything with my wife and daughter. I also follow Philadelphia sports, which are a very exciting but often painful interest.
What advice would you like to share with medical students or what do you wish someone would have told you while you were in medical school?
Most physicians seem super busy all of the time, but if you just ask for 5 minutes about what they do and how they feel about their job, I think most would gladly oblige. And that is the best way to get any honest opinion—just ask.
Which living person do you most admire?
My parents. It is highly improbable that I would be a physician today without their bold sacrifices. They fled a country at war and survived a genocide.
Which talent would you most like to have?
To memorize a deck of cards.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Being dad to my daughter, Amani.
What is your motto?
“Being habitually late is a choice.”
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