Mariel Bryden, MD
Where did you attend medical school?
University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine
Where did you do your residency?
I did my residency and OB fellowship at JPS in Fort Worth, TX
Within your specialty, do you have sub-specialty areas of practice that you particularly enjoy?
My passions within family medicine are obstetrics and global health. I love delivering babies, performing C-sections, and doing OB ultrasound, as well as educating and bonding with patients and families both before and after delivery. Taking care of babies who I have delivered is a real treat! Working with refugees and immigrants allows me to keep doing global health from right here in Montana, and I look forward to continuing my work with the Lesotho-Boston Health Alliance Family Medicine Specialty Training Program located in Lesotho, where I worked full time from 2018 to 2020 as faculty. I also enjoy office procedures.
What do you most enjoy about practicing Family Medicine?
I love full scope family medicine and being able to take care of people from all walks of life, during all of life’s stages. Our field is incredibly versatile, and I love that we can focus on our various niches of interest while maintaining those broad-spectrum skills that make us unique.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I really enjoy getting to see residents undergo a metamorphosis from Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ to strong family doctors over short three years, and to play a role in the physician they become. I learn so much from residents and Ñý¼§Ö±²¥, and every day is different and exciting!
What brought you to Montana?
My family and I were drawn to Missoula for its not-too-big, not-too-small size and easy access to the outdoors (as well as the stellar family medicine residency program here).
Why did you choose to be part of the FMRWM?
In short, the wonderful people and mission. I love to teach and work with motivated residents who are interested in full-spectrum family medicine, and FMRWM residents fit that bill. The faculty and administrative staff are also a wonderful, committed group of people. The mission of training physicians to work in rural areas with broad skill sets to address health disparities really speaks to my heart.
What are some of your interests outside of the clinic or classroom?
Exploring the outdoors with my husband (Ben, also faculty here at FMRWM) and our two young daughters is my favorite thing to do. I enjoy biking, skiing, and hiking, as well as traveling, gardening, and reading.
What do you love about Western Montana?
The community, the mountains, the national forests and parks, no traffic, the bike-friendly city… I could go on and on!
What is your favorite:
- Book? The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver and Cat’s Cradle by Kirk Vonnegut are my all time favorites and I am always taking recommendations!
- Album? Abbey Road by the Beatles if you make me choose just one, but usually I have on a rotation of cumbia, 90s hip hop, classic rock, bluegrass, and folk.
- Movie? I am connoisseur of kid movies at current and can highly recommend Moana and Frozen.