Dr. Marjorie Dina Bacon, formerly of Allen Parish, has been recognized as the top medical resident of the Year in Yuma, Arizona. In her third year of residency at this time, she has been awarded the Grobe Award (Class of 2023 Arizona Resident of the Year).
In this process, one third-year resident is selected by the faculty from each of the 13 family medical programs in the state of Arizona where there are over 100 third-year residency candidates. Then the nominees are interviewed by the Arizona Academy of Family Physicians’ Board of Directors.
Dr. Bacon, who is in her third year of residency at Yuma Regional Medical Center, an educational teaching facility with a Family and Community Medicine Residency Program, was selected for 2023. And with her selection, she shared her journey in medicine that included many obstacles in life and her positive outlook that helped her reach each goal along the career path she has chosen. She described it as an “un-traditional journey” into medicine. It’s that story, along with her achievements in residency and the letters submitted by her program director, faculty advisor and attending physicians, all part of the application, that led to this honor.
When asked, “What made you decide to become a physician?,” Dr. Bacon said, “I take a deep breath, usually laugh and respond, ok, are you ready?”
At 16, Dr. Bacon states she completed 10th grade at Elizabeth High School and then took her GED exam on the last day of that school year. She was married and expecting her first child, Hailey, who was born in August. “I knew my life would be tough, but I was determined to take care of my child. I applied for a job at Oakdale Community Hospital and started in medical records.”
She said the general surgeon there, Dr. (Dara) Vahid, was nice and realized Dr. Bacon couldn’t spell the medical procedures.
“He told me if I really wanted to learn, to come in early and I could watch the surgeries. I would stand on a step stool behind the CRNA, and the surgery nurses would spell the procedures he was doing. I did that for many weeks. Finally, one day he asked me how old I was and why was I there? I didn’t want to tell him I was only 16, but he knew. He asked what were my plans in life? I didn’t know, but I said I wanted to be in the hospital taking care of the people. He saw my potential and advised me to get a degree, work hard and never look back. I was raising my daughter alone before I turned 18. I soon started the LPN program at Oakdale Vocational College.”
Dr. Vahid, who now lives in New Mexico, said he always tried to encourage those around him to do better in life. He remembered quite a few people who were able to get an education and improve their lives. He remembered Dr. Bacon and encouraging her to pursue a higher education, so he’s excited she was able to pursue her dreams.
“Tell her congratulations,” he said. “I’m glad I was able to help somebody.” Although he hasn’t lived in Oakdale for a long time, he recalls his 20 years there were enjoyable. He said encouraging others was part of his “community service” to see other achieve great things.
Dr. Bacon said she held multiple jobs while absorbing all she could in the area of medicine. She was only one of two LPNs that were credentialed to work in the ER.
“I was part of the Code Team and floated throughout the entire hospital including ICU and CCU. I was noted to work well as a team member, proficiently under pressure and was promoted progressively throughout my career. Always wanting to learn and grow professionally, I continued to take classes, acquire certifications and became an RN.”
Then she attended the Krewe of Muse Mardi Gras, 21 years ago, and met her husband Michael. Together, they blended their family – she had two daughters and he had a daughter and son.
And tragedy struck the family. Their son, Jake, was diagnosed with cancer, and Hailey was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at 13.
“Jake, 8, lost his battle to medulloblastoma on March 26, 2003. These life changing events made us both look at life differently. You are not promised tomorrow and make the most of every moment,” is what she said they learned.
Years later when Dr. Bacon had an opportunity to work in Hospice, she said she felt she wanted to give back to such a wonderful service.
“I started as a case manager and soon became the director of clinical services. Then later, I was promoted to executive director of a large hospice agency in Lafayette, Louisiana. Administration was a different side of medicine I quickly adjusted to and did well, but I always longed to be with the patients.”
She said she worked hard, and when the couple’s daughter, Payton, graduated from high school her husband asked her, “What do you want to do?”
“He knew I always wanted more, but I felt I wasn’t worthy. With his encouragement and our daughters, Hailey, Payton and Maddie giving their blessing, I applied to medical school and was accepted. Two years in St. Lucia and two years on Chicago felt like a lifetime but it was done and on to residency.”
And life’s journey would not be easy. On her first day of traveling from Louisiana to Yuma, Arizona, for her residency, her 20-foot moving truck with her car in tow, was stolen in San Antonio, Texas.
“I lost everything! Literally everything but the clothes on my back. Wow, welcome to residency! But I was so thrilled to be where I was in life, I just shook it off and moved forward keeping a positive attitude.
“Residency has been exhilarating for me. I have been involved in every aspect of the program and taking advantage of every opportunity I am given. During my first few months, I had the opportunity to participate in the Military Assault Support Tactics – Wartime Trauma Training with our local Marine Aviation Base. I learned how to serve as part of a team during trauma training and flew in a CH35 helicopter.”
Dr. Bacon continued to learn. She served on the E/M Billing and Coding Committee, as well as doing extra in-service opportunities to improve her performance. She was a part of the Didactics Committee, served as the Resident Advisor for Quality Education for the YRMC Medical Board and sat on the Recruiting Committee for Residency Match.
“As a former athlete, I have volunteered to sideline multiple high school and college sports in the Yuma area,” she said. “I have also volunteered to do sports physicals at the local high schools with our Sports Medicine Fellowship Program.
“During my intern year, I participated in multiple CME activities including the educational and hands-on training portion of multiple aesthetic medical procedures. In my second year, I was accepted into the Integrative Medicine in Residency track offered through the University of Arizona and I have completed the entire 200-hour, two-year program in less than a year. I have been selected to the IM Leadership Track which I will participate in Tucson, Arizona, in March 2023.”
Dr. Bacon added, “At the conclusion of my second year, in 2022, I was awarded the Program Director’s Top Award, “The Go Getter Award” for going above and beyond in my day-to-day responsibilities, for my patients and my co-residents. I have participated in the Southwest Regional Grand Rounds, bi-annually, and I was the grand prize-winning poster presentation in November 2022.
“My residency QI Project was focused on and titled, “Improving Adolescent Depression Screenings in Residency Programs” and has been submitted to the STFM Annual Conference for 2023 in Tampa, Florida.
“Upon completion of residency, I will be working as a hospitalist and eventually plan to open my own DPC practice focusing on Integrative and Aesthetic Medicine.”
In ending her story to the selection committee, she said, “With my background, hard work and now successful completion of residency, I want to be that encouragement for any young woman, or man, who finds themselves in one of life’s tough situations. Be a positive influence on those who may not feel they are “worthy” of being more. I want them to know they too can achieve their dreams. Nothing is impossible!”
Dr. Bacon, who is in her early 50s, is the daughter of Keith and Kathleen Mason of Elizabeth. Her husband is the son of Dr. Richard “Gene” and Diane Bacon. Her husband works remotely for an auctioneer house specializing in farming equipment sales, which allows him to follow his wife and work from home. Their daughters now live in the Plainview area, Lafayette and Oklahoma.
