Braidi R. Huecker, M.D.
OBGYN, Associates of Southern Indiana, New Albany, Ind.
Why did you decide to become a doctor?
I have always wanted to be in the healthcare field. When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes and
spent a week in the hospital. The care that I received and the people responsible for this made a lasting impression on me. I knew then that I would be involved in patient care someday.
My choice to become an OBGYN was guided by my daughter. Experiencing the birth of a child is something that a woman will never forget. Someone who makes the labor process easier by holding a hand, bringing a cup of ice, or simply being there is priceless. The delivery of my daughter Isabella was stressful and exhausting, but the person who kept us safe and calm was my doctor. That was exactly what I wanted to do for someone else.
Is it different than what you thought? If so, how?
My job is what I thought it would be. I knew that choosing OBGYN meant taking calls at night, running from the office to do a delivery and being part of the best or worst day of a mother’s life. However, I didn’t know that I would love it as much as I do.
What is the biggest misconception about your field?
The biggest misconception about my field is that a natural birth experience is lost when delivering at a hospital. Patients at Floyd Memorial Hospital have the option of having a natural delivery with minimal intervention if mom and baby are safe. The advantage of delivering in a hospital is that if a mom or baby is in distress then additional measures can be taken to maintain life. My goal is always to have a healthy mom and healthy baby.
What is the one thing you wish patients knew and/or understood about doctors?
I wish patients knew that insurance and drug companies have more control over what we can do than they know.
What is your opinion of electronic medical records (EMR) and how will this affect you and your practice?
Electronic medical records make my job so much easier. Having to flip through a chart and reading the handwriting of others is sometimes a daunting task. I love that all of the information, ancillary tests, and ultrasounds are scanned into
my computer, and I can access it quickly. Sending a prescription electronically is a dream come true.
What’s one thing your colleagues would be surprised to learn about you?
I killed a snake with a machete when I was 10 years old. The lady that hired me to do it paid me 25 dollars.
What’s the best advice you ever received? Who gave it to you?
The best advice I ever received was from my parents: Work hard while you are young so that when you are old you don’t
have to.
What’s the last good book you read?
All three Hunger Games books.
Favorite daytime beverage?
Skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks.
