The simple things make Dr. Emily Cunningham's work worthwhile

In this week's edition of Making the Rounds, Dr. Emily Cunningham is our guest. Dr. Cunningham is an OB-GYN who is dedicated to helping women have safe deliveries and healthy babies. We talked to her about why she pursued her specialty, what it's like to be an OB-GYN and what motivates her to come into work every day.

When did you know that you wanted to be an OB-GYN?

My dad was an OB-GYN, and I always liked the idea of medicine. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do until the third year of school when you do the rotations. Once I saw OB, that dad delivered the baby with me – he cried, I cried. That was it. I fell in love.

What's your favorite part of your work?

My favorite part of my job is listening to the heartbeat. I know that sounds like a simple thing, but to listen to a baby’s heartbeat, especially for the first time when the mom has never heard one before, that is the sweet spot. That’s my happy moment. There are some people, the exciting moment is to hear that first cry, but for me, that first heartbeat is really special.

What else do you love about being an OB-GYN?

I love the delivering the baby part. You spend nine months getting to know somebody, get to know their families, their mother-in-laws. I know about their travel plans. I know whether or not they have cats in their house. All these great questions I get to ask over nine months, and I develop a relationship with them. At the end of nine months, it’s the most special moment of their life, and I get to be a part of it. That’s why I love my job.

Watch our full interview with Dr. Emily Cunningham to learn more about why she enjoys working as an OB-GYN at UK HealthCare.