Katherine Twombley is a world-renowned expert in the field of pediatric kidney transplantation. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in biology at the College of Charleston in 1996 and her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2004. She completed her Pediatric residency at Miami Children's Hospital (now known as Nicholas Children's Hospital) in 2007 and her fellowship in Pediatric Nephrology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Dallas Children's Hospital in 2010. Throughout her career she has had numerous accomplishments including publishing many scientific manuscripts, being an editor of the first sole pediatric kidney transplant textbook and being one of the few tenured women professors in the field of medicine. She lives in Charleston, SC with her amazing child Frankie and husband Mohamed. She has a passion for helping others in the medical field escape burnout and has given talks on the topic of physician mental health and suicide all over the country with the goal of bringing awareness to the rarely talked about epidemic of physician suicide.
"""First Do No Harm"" is a must-read book for anyone working in the healthcare field and everyone who cares about them. Dr. Katherine Twombly pulls back the curtain and candidly shows the devastating price healthcare providers pay to become healers and offers a way out of the darkness that consumes so many providers who suffer in silence. Through the lens of her physician-father's unexpected suicide, Katherine courageously shares her family's tragedy in a compassionate, yet matter-of-fact way to shine light on the pressures of becoming and being a healthcare provider in today's world, while offering real-world, practical advice on how to navigate the landscape, stay emotionally healthy, and help others who may be struggling. ""First Do No Harm"" is a literary lifeline, delivering hope to those barely keeping their heads above water, and a guide so one never has to find themselves in such a dire place. I only wish this book was available sooner. -Michael Sprintz, DO, DFASAM Triple-board certified chronic pain and addiction expert with over 23 years in recovery from multiple substance use disorders (or just say ""addiction"")"