Introducing the 2021-2022 AFP Jay Siwek Medical Editing Fellow: Dr. Jorge Finke

It's my pleasure to introduce our 2021-2022 Jay Siwek Medical Editing Fellow, Dr. Jorge Finke, whose fellowship year will begin June 1. Here are some highlights from a recent interview:

1. Tell us a little about yourself. 

I was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the U.S. at the age of four. I grew up in a small working-class city north of Boston, which inspired me to focus my medical career on community medicine. I graduated from college and medical school in Massachusetts and decided to stay for family medicine residency at UMass. As a new attending, I’ve been working at a community health center in Boston which provides care to underserved patients. I love teaching and mentoring students at all stages of their education, so I hope I can continue integrating those opportunities in my career. 

 2. What got you interested in medical writing and editing? 

My residency program placed a strong emphasis on the practice of evidence-based medicine. I had the realization that much of what we we learn and are trained to do in medical school is not always founded in evidence, and that evidence is always changing. This inspired me to continually ask questions about the “why” and think more critically about how we practice. It led me to read more journal articles and have active conversations with my colleagues around practice-changing information I would find. A faculty member offered me the opportunity to write a “Cochrane for Clinicians” article for American Family Physician, which gave me a taste of medical writing, and I’ve been looking for more ways to get involved ever since. 

 3. What are you hoping to get out of the fellowship? 

I’m excited to be a part of the editorial team. Working with experienced editors will help me learn to better evaluate and appraise manuscripts, which will hopefully, in turn, make me a better editor and writer. I’ll be constantly exposed to new advances in clinical practice that will help me both in my day-to-day care of patients but also allow me to share these insights with my colleagues. Through this fellowship, I hope to learn and grow as both a clinician and teacher, which will give me greater career range and help me become a more well-rounded physician. 

 4. Is there anything else you'd like AFP readers to know about you? 

Outside of work, I’m always looking to try new things and pick up new hobbies. I enjoy the creativity of trying new recipes and cooking for my wife who is my personal taste-tester. I enjoy sailing in Boston during the summers. I visit my family in the Dominican Republic when I can and enjoy relaxing at the beaches there. Within my work, I am passionate about caring for underserved populations, addiction medicine, and medical education.