Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP James L. Holly, M.D. Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP


Letters - Dante Rangel - Pre-Med Student Shadowing Dr. Holly at SETMA August, 2018
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Being invited to shadow Dr. Holly was a welcomed but unexpected occurrence. My father and Dr. Holly met some years ago in Santa Fe, an event that forever changed my path forward. I admit I trembled as I read the email invitation. The past few months have been tumultuous for me. I was rejected from medical school in late February and lost my grandfather shortly after in late March. It weighs on me heavily knowing that he never had the opportunity to see me succeed after his years of sacrifice, a fault that lands squarely with me. 

I had no idea what to expect really. Beaumont in a sense was far away from my scope of view and I never believed I would have the chance to work with Dr. Holly with his busy schedule. In the middle of July it was decided, I was to shadow him.

Monday morning, 6:30 sharp, I arrived outside of Dr. Holly’s office on Calder Ave. Before I even had time to collect my thoughts I locked eyes with a man who was waiting for me outside. It was Dr. Holly himself.

The first day at the office was overwhelming to say the very least. From the very moment I met Dr. Holly I admit I was intimidated. Not because he was rude or offending, it was because of his eminence. Here was a man who has dedicated his life to the betterment and protection of others. Someone I would consider a genius and I had the opportunity to shadow him. “What would he think of me? How should I act?” These were some of the many questions that I tried to think about, but with Dr. Holly there was no moratorium. Instantly we entered a conversation of my background, my skills and academic performance. 

He had bigger plans for me. He wanted to talk to some medical school deans and garner information to aid in what appeared to be my never ending dirge of a journey. And suddenly it was 7:30. In a flash Dr. Holly informed me that we would be traveling to the nearby town of Lumberton. When we arrived he introduced me to his team for the day. Soon the first patient arrived and that is when the day truly began.

I was in awe at his speed. Immediately Dr. Holly was on the move, careful to make sure each patient was seen quickly. This was directly contrary to what I was used to, physicians letting their team do all of the work. Once we were inside he introduced me to another one of his treasures. His EMR. It was incredibly comprehensive and was the culmination of a lifetime of work fueled by the need and desire to shrug off mediocrity. The entire system was geared towards maximizing efficiency and assisting the patient in documenting their special needs. 

What impressed me the most had to be the heart study that was included in the EMR. This study ran probability to predict the outcomes patients could expect if they changed specific things in their lives. This astounded me. In all of my days shadowing I had never seen an EMR of this caliber. Everything else paled in comparison and seemed clunky, inefficient, and most importantly, a massive waste of time. 

It was clear that Dr. Holly was unlike any physician I had ever shadowed before. Lunchtime came and I had the lovely opportunity to meet his wife Carolyn. This meeting was unfortunately brief as she informed me that she was needed in Louisiana to help take care of her mother and then soon, we were back to Lumberton.

As we were returning Dr. Holly reminded me of the devastation hurricane Harvey had wrought. Devastation that was still very much real for many people here even though mentions of the damaging Hurricane were now nothing more than whispers. A great deal of patients we had seen in the morning had been affected and to be honest I was disgusted. I was aware of what the “outside world” thought of many of the people here. A twisted caricature that they had created to demonize the people that supported an ideology they might not personally agree with. People they would consider “white trash”. I was disgusted because these were people first and foremost. Not ambassadors of an ideology. People that needed our help and Dr. Holly did an amazing job embodying the exemplar of what not only a physician should be, but what we should be as people. 

Looking beyond petty squabbles and reaching into what really matters, the support of our fellow man. He made them laugh, smile, and most importantly, trust him, a boon in a time where it seems like many physicians forget about the importance of empathy. Dr. Holly would finish with: “Now here is my personal number. I want you to call me on ‘this day’ so you can tell me how you are doing.” Unbelievable, is the only word I can use to describe this.

It was less than 24 hours into my stay with Dr. Holly and I could feel that I was forever changed as a person. The days progressed at lightning speed with Dr. Holly at the helm, blazing along in a tireless surge. By this time I was already exhausted and mystified by his seemingly unyielding fervor. My experience with Dr. Holly ended with an incredible trip to Avery Island in Louisiana to visit the Tabasco factory. 

On this trip I was able to speak to him about so many different things and being 74 years young, I knew he had the experience and wisdom I was looking for. He counseled me on my dreams, my progress, and my skills. I admit that it hurts knowing that I have been trying to get into medical school for so long and sometimes I feel that I am not worth it or not capable. 

Dr. Holly made it very clear that I was not a fraud and was someone he saw not only doing well but excelling in this field. I can tell you that it has meant so much to me to hear these words from someone that I look up to. I am forever grateful to him for this opportunity and I will remember it eternally.

Dr. Holly embodies everything that I want to be. From his endless wealth of historical knowledge, to the love of his fellow man, his disdain for mediocrity, ambivalence, and his tactful entrepreneurial skills. He is the kind of person that only comes about once every few generations. There are few words that can describe someone as mercurial as him and where words fail, only an epithet will do. As for now, I know that this experience has changed me for the better and I can only hope that I will have another chance to get to know Dr. Holly, the ineffable.

-Dante N. Rangel, 11/09/18