Meet Brittany Oliver, M.D.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Oliver, M.D.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in Orlando, Florida and spent half of my childhood growing up in the Orlando suburbs and the other half on a Thoroughbred breeding farm about an hour outside of the city. I grew up with a strong admiration for my parents; my mother is incredibly kind, giving, and compassionate; my father is a veterinarian who put himself through professional school in a small southern town as a young black man during a time when that wasn’t exactly “normal”. Between the two of them and the example they set for me, I gravitated very early on to the field of medicine. Now, whether I would be a doctor to people or animals did take me some time to figure out, but by the time I went to college at the University of Florida, I had decided to major in Biology and was set on the pre-med track. After completing my undergraduate work, I moved to Washington, DC and earned my medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine. While there, I met my husband who is a Kansas City, MO native (and the reason we moved back to this area!). After medical school he followed me to Philadelphia where we both completed residency training at the University of Pennsylvania, myself in dermatology and he in orthodontics. When it came time to look for our first jobs after training, we knew our priority was to be close to family. I ended up finding the perfect fit at a private practice in Overland Park called Blue Valley Dermatology. I’m now two months in and I couldn’t be happier to be serving this community!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It certainly has not always been a smooth road. My husband and I began our relationship during some of the most difficult phases of my medical training. Dermatology is very competitive, requiring top scores, grades, research, and connections within the field in order to secure a coveted residency position. I experienced self-doubt at times, questioning whether I was capable of achieving what I set out to do, even as mentors, friends, and family voiced complete confidence in me. Being two health professionals separately navigating our respective careers while in the training phase added its own layer of complexity, as trainees often have little control over where their next job will take them. There were periods of time our relationship was a long-distance one, but the stars finally aligned for good when we both matched for residency in Philadelphia. Being able to decide on our own that we wanted the next phase of our lives to take place in the KC area felt like first time we were in complete control. The obstacles have made me so grateful to be here, now, exactly where I want to be.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a board-certified dermatologist, I specialize in all things skin, hair, and nails. I am trained in adult, pediatric, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. Joining Blue Valley Dermatology has allowed me to further develop my own practice style while seeing a wide variety of conditions in patients of all ages, races, and ethnicities. I am most proud of the time I spent contributing my voice and efforts to advancing diversity the field of dermatology, which historically has been one of medicine’s least diverse specialties. I think what sets me apart is the high value I place in developing strong rapport with patients. I recognize that going to the doctor, especially when we aren’t feeling our best, can leave us feeling exposed and vulnerable. I never take for granted that someone is putting their complete trust in me when they tell me their story. My approach is to give each person that walks through the door the time they deserve. I never want someone to feel that their visit was rushed or that their doctor didn’t really listen to them.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there or take a less traditional path to achieve your goals. You don’t have to do exactly what your friends are doing. I have seen many smart, ambitious people self-select out of competitive fields because they didn’t believe in themselves. Mentorship is absolutely key and can strongly influence the course of one’s career, so it is critical to find someone willing to guide you, advise you, and advocate for you when the time comes. With multiple avenues to communicate via e-mail, websites like LinkedIn, and social media, and the rise of remote work and video conferencing, potential mentors nowadays are often only a few clicks away. Once you’ve found someone, exceed their expectations: rather than tell them you have a strong work ethic, show them through your actions. Don’t just meet the deadline, beat the deadline!

Contact Info:

• Email: boliver118@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.bluevalleydermatology.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.dermatic/
• Other: http://tiktok.com/@dr.dermatic

Image Credits:
Christopher Cieri (@cieriphotography)