Imagine a decade-long journey culminating in a powerful guide for women in medicine, woven together with the threads of deep friendship and unforgettable ‘girls’ trips’—that’s the story behind The Game Plan: A Woman’s Guide to Becoming a Doctor and Living a Life in Medicine, and we’re celebrating its anniversary in this episode. In this heartfelt and insightful conversation, we welcome two of the book’s original voices, Dr. Leah Matthews and Dr. Jessica Osborn, to share their personal reflections on writing the book, the power of female friendships, and their most cherished “girls’ trip” memories. Discover the behind-the-scenes stories, the laughter, the challenges, and the unwavering support that fueled this incredible project, and glean valuable pearls of wisdom on perseverance, self-care, and the beautiful chaos of life.
Music courtesy of Dealer’s Choice Sound Recordings, Inc. Music artist: djezi
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Watch the episode here
Listen to the podcast here
Booked & Balanced: Doctors Talk Sisterhood, Self-Care, And Boss Life With Dr. Leah Matthews & Dr. Jessica Osborn
Women Doctors Share How To Succeed In Medicine And Life
Celebrating “The Game Plan” Anniversary
We have had an awesome conversation with 2 of the 3 co-authors for The Game Plan: A Woman’s Guide to Becoming a Doctor and Living a Life in Medicine. There are 5 of us. Dr. Angela, myself and two at the office, and we were lucky enough to have Dr. Leah Matthews as well as Dr. Jessica Osborn. Unfortunately, Dr. Diane Boykin wasn’t able to join us. We had a lovely conversation centered on sisterhood and we talked about our favorite girls’ trip and our favorite activities. Please stay tuned. Angela, given that we are coming up on the third anniversary of our book, published May 22nd, 2023, which I can’t even believe it’s been a few years. Tell us what the book means to you.
There’s so much I could say. The book was a process. It was born out of genuine conversation about what we wish we had known when we had gone to medical school. When we were thinking about residency, what we wish people had told us or maybe someone had told us prior to choosing a career path in medicine. There was intention behind why we chose the book, why we chose each particular chapter, why each person chose the chapter that they were going to write.
That part was really meaningful to me that because we were friends and had this sisterhood, we just had an open, free conversation and from that and had this baby of a beautiful creation from a general desire to help others. I talked a little bit about the process itself and what it taught me in terms of resilience, and I think perseverance, and getting the book over the finish Line at the end, that was really cool in terms of what I learned about myself.
Since it’s been published, what it has just taught me is that it’s valuable, that there are mentees that I have that I didn’t know. I had a patient that gave the book to her niece. She didn’t know the niece wanted to do OBGYN, but gave her the book, she read the book, and she’s actually at Georgetown. It just came full circle, but she talks about how it meant something to her. Just talking to mentees that say that they got something out of the book, that has been. I think, the most valuable part, that it actually meant something to somebody.
From my standpoint, if it just helps one woman that maybe wants to become a doctor or is not sure if she wants to become a doctor or is thinking about a certain career path and reads that, “Maybe I should be asking these questions to a mentor. Instead of just how do I get into residency, how about why did you choose that as a career path? Is that something that really aligns with what I want to do in life?”
That’s the part that I’ve learned. If you have an idea that really means something to you, there’s a purpose that you feel like that needs to be fulfilled, then do it because it will mean something to somebody. If it stays on your heart long enough, do it because it’s going to mean something to somebody. If you’re doing something just because it’s the thing to do to write a book or because you think you’re going to make money, don’t do it because it’s not about that. Anyway, what about you? What do you think? What is it meant to you?
All those things and more. I am so proud of us that we were able to go from the filament of the idea. Although it took a decade and we had some starts and stops, we did it. That says a lot about our character and, may I add, I think the most important thing for me was always that we maintain our sisterhood and our friendship. Yes, I wanted to finish a book but sometimes I had to learn, “We can’t really push it this right now because life is life and we can’t get through this part.”
Also, I really learned the importance of just continuing to put one step in front of the other and although not everything always pans out, you take the meeting, you send the email, you make the phone call, you follow up because you never know what is going to be the thing that propels you forward. I want to make sure that we think a couple of people that really helped us along the way. Wayne South Smith was our first editor. He formatted our book, he wrote our pitch for publishing houses and for book editors and all of those things. Wayne South Smith, we could not have done this without you.
He was the impetus for us. He wanted to hear our stories. We were like, “We’ve already written all this stuff.” “Get personal.” You wrote a little something and said, “Tell me more.” That’s actually what I hear from readers. “You talked about this when you did this and you talked about this when you did that.” It was the personal part of the story that makes the book a little bit different than your guide to going to medical school.
The grit we could show.
Also, in addition to Wayne South Smith, we want to thank our book publisher, which is Valerie McDowell. She’s a fellow Hoya and she has a company called The Book Accelerator. Our book went from finished manuscript and formatted to print book from Amazon in a little over two months. Please correct me if I’m wrong, Angela.
You’re right.
We saw her at the Healy dinner. Diane Boykin met Valerie. They started talking and then next thing you know, we have a book publisher. I saw all of the little things that you do that seem so inconsequential. It feels like, “This isn’t going to happen continue to persevere and to move forward.”
We are so excited to get into the conversation. It is very light-hearted and we’re just really grateful to our co-authors, for all of the years of friendship, all of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the book and for the many years to come of continued girls trips and lifting each other up in life. Without further ado, we’ll get into the conversation.
The Heart Of “The Game Plan”: Purpose, Resilience & Meaningful Impact
We have the best episode ever. Two of the OGs from our book, The Game Plan: A Woman’s Guide to Becoming a Doctor and Living a Life in Medicine and we want to welcome Dr. Leah Matthews and Dr. Jessica Osborn to the show. Welcome.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Our fifth co-author is Dr. Diane Boykin. She wanted to be here but life is lifing and she had other obligations but she is with us in spirit. I’m so excited for you guys to be here. It just feels like a mini virtual girls catch-up, but we wanted to just start by asking some simple questions in terms of because we’re getting together for the anniversary of our book and ask what you learned about yourself while riding the book. I think we had a lot of time together but actually time alone as well, and so I know we all learned things and I just want to share that for our audience. How about you, Sylvia? Maybe that would be easier.
I really learned how the rely on other people, and I know that sounds strange. Remember, I have only child tendencies and because we have known each other for a really long time but hadn’t done something as intimate as a book, it really required trust. Therapy and trust issues. Okay, yes, but it was really helpful for me to realize that I am with four people that love me and that support me and they are not going to fail in any way. We love each other and that we are able to move forward and to do something that is time consuming and hard. I’m rambling but I learned to trust more. Jessica, what about you?
I think one of the biggest things looking back is working on the book reminded me of med school and studying with you guys. Who kept me in line? Who kept me on task and really how I made it through was you guys. It’s the same with the book. I also learned that life will life and we all had interruptions to the book. We had things going on with our family. It had to take a backseat sometimes, but again, it was much like what you said, I could rely on you all for everything, just about.
How about you, Leah?
I think I will echo pretty much what’s been said. Definitely the trusting and the collaboration. For me, it was something that was like none of us ever written a book and you guys know I actually don’t like to read books. It was quite an interesting process, to try and write a book when you don’t like to read. I did enjoy parts of the editing process but yeah, like you said, different aspects, different time frames. Things were happening. My brother was in hospice at one point and so I remember being in my sister’s house. I was working on this book, and was like, “What are you doing?” We got deadlines. Things were happening during that time frame, but you make the commitment and you just kept going.
Yeah, it’s beautiful. Thank you, Leah. I am just going to echo pretty much what everybody said. What I learned is, the teamwork and leadership. I was not being the best task master for myself, but being a task master for staying on speed and on target, it was a little bit surprising that I could do that in a team environment. Plus, you all are really nice and so it was easier and I think received well. I think most importantly was perseverance and the value of not giving up, particularly when you invest time in something that you really believe in. I think that was the important part.
Perseverance and not giving up is most important, especially when you invest time in something you truly believe in. Share on XWe all went into it as something that we thought was going to be a value to others, and because of that, and because of our friendship, we made the commitment to do. It organized to stick with it. The value of perseverance, as you said, Sylvia, ten years. It was the perseverance that actually got us over the hurdle. I think that that’s what my takeaways were
I think it certain periods, we were all like, “This book. I’m over it. Why are we not done with this stuff?” Someone would step forward and be like, “We can really get this done. Remember, this is a good idea.” Perhaps, I roll my eyes and then like, “Yeah, you’re right.” We will figure out a way forward because not only have we invested time, but let’s just be frank, we all had invested money and all our coins count. Perseverance was really important.
The Genesis Of Girls Trips: From Texas To Vegas & Beyond
Let’s move on to another part of our collective experience. Our girls trips. We had been doing girls trips for 10, 11 years, prior to in embarking on the book itself. How do you all feel?
Can we have Jessica tell the story of how we had our first girls’ trip? I think that the people wanted to know.
Our memory isn’t always on point.
The story gets better as the time goes on.
That’s right.
I know I was in Texas with Leah and I thought, “I’m close and enough to Las Vegas. Let me just go over and see what it’s like.”
You were finishing up your training in medicine. I like details. The people want to know the details. All the tea.
What I was trying to say, I was like, “I want to go.” Leah’s like. “Let’s do it,” and so you go, “Don’t try to leave without me.”
I was in Seattle, the farthest away.
Angela, you came on the second trip.
I was just graced with the invite from Leah to join you all and I was like, “You want me to come? Yes.” I had two little babies that I could not wait to get on a trip.
We all squeezed into one room.
At the Paris Hotel. I don’t think there’s any reason not to say the name of the hotel. Some of our people have decided that they need bigger rooms now and balconies and all sorts of things. They will remain nameless.
We had to save our money for our spa, our nights out, eating.
We danced.
We partied.
That is correct.
It was so much fun, we decided to make it an annual thing.
We remained intentional about doing so every year, so that leads me to the second part of the question. How do you all feel we were able to maintain the friendship while doing the book? As we mentioned, there were a lot of stressful. There was a lot of work that went into creating this book and getting it to fruition. Just curious on your opinion on how you think we were to maintain the closeness the friendship, the sisterhood. Leah?
I would say it was continuing with the trips. Even though some of those trips turned into working trips, we were still together. I think that was helpful. Coming from a space of understanding and then just being together even though they were some of them working trips. I can remember the New Mexico, one, where sitting out by the fireplace and papers all the round, and drinking wine. Working, but laughing and having fun while doing it, I think that was helpful in continuing the girls’ trip that we started even before the book and then being able to incorporate it into some of those trips.
Anybody else?
The trips helped me refocus, because I think for a lot of it, there were other things that would grab my attention during that time, but it was a refocus to go on the trip.
I’m going to add, I think what I remember is we had a lot of virtual meetings during the book. During the girl’s trip, we were always intentional about doing our check-ins first. It was never just about business. It was about how are you doing and what’s going on. Whoever’s life was lifing, addressing that, praying for whoever, but making that the first part of our comments, our check in and remaining intentional about keeping the friendship at forefront.
Remember, this was before Zoom. We’re all comfortable with Zoom now. This was a teleconference. Zoom exploded during the pandemic.
We called that conference call.
As a patient says, it’s been a minute.
That’s been middle school, high school, those years.
Let’s just do some fun things, fun questions now. Favorite girls trip destination. Jessica?
California.
Pelican Hill. If they wish to invite us back, our valet, we want to shout out Jamie Balk with TravelEdge travel agency who plans all of our girls trips is wonderful. I’m sorry, Jessica. I stepped all over your time.
I was also in a magazine.
You were. Virtuoso Magazine. We had a whole photoshoot.
It was spectacular that they put us in a magazine. Yes, I would like go back but it was beautiful.
It was cute.
It was absolutely beautiful and then we saw your dad.
Can I tell a story about Virgil?
Yes.
I remember I think both years, we went to Pelican Hill, my dad dropped us off. One year in particular, I remember rolling in there with you all and so my father, one year, he had a Buick. I think the next year, Frances, my stepmother, her car was like some Mitsubishi SUV thing, a little bit old, paint little worn, and we pull up, and I’m always driving. We say hello to the guard, because, of course, it’s gated. The guard looks at me and looks at the car and he looks inside again and I’m like, “Hello, I’m Dr. Morris. We’re checking in.” He looks at this list and it’s like, “I guess these people’s names are here.”
He opens the gate and we drive in. I remember the second year when we had that wonderful house, literally, that overlooked the golf course in the Pacific. I remember my father walking through, and son of a gun was his favorite phrase. It was as if he couldn’t believe that his little girl was at this fantastic place because remember, I’m from Inglewood, California. I remember that and I think he got a big kick out of being able to take his daughter and her friends this place and dropping them off. That’s what I remember. That was it. That was a good trip.
There were nice lunches. I remember the lunches with your dad. It was really sweet.
He’s good at not interrogating but really being able to get my father talking, Leah speaks old Black man from Texas.
I speak country.
I might misremember, but I think he just mentioned, “I left Texas at eighteen. I joined the army and didn’t look back.”
The loaded state.
How far they’ve come.
One generation through the power of education.
I’m sure he’s amazed.
Leah, your favorite girls trip?
Favorite Getaways: Stories & Memories From Iconic Girls Trips
I’m going to say definitely some of the earlier ones. I definitely love Vegas. When you’re in Vegas, eating well, you’re drinking well, you’re going to a couple of clothes. As well as Miami. The first hotel in Miami probably wasn’t our favorite, but I enjoyed the scene on South Beach. Of course, the food as well. They all were great. I think they’re all great. I have one that wasn’t my favorite location.
I didn’t care for New Mexico. I feel like we were on the set of Get Out. It was just a weird vibe with the people. Not you, guys. It was the people. I just felt weird. It was a different vibe. The hotel and everything was great. It was just the vibe of the people. It was very different from what we’ve done. Different is not bad. Austin was very different and we all loved that one and riding motocross bikes and walking around, the Horse Whisperer and all that good stuff. I think I definitely care for the earlier trips.
Angela?
Pelican Hill, absolutely, 100%. Bathtub, patio. I can see the ocean. We went down to the ocean. If I can get to the ocean, it’s always going to be top of my list. That was the birthplace of The Game Plan also, and after the boat ride that we went to, the restaurant.
I think we have to explain the boat ride.
I’m not explaining that.
We were on a yacht.
The most terrifying ride of my life.
I learned with a wake was.
You all entrusting me to actually drive a boat. Yeah, that was a once in a lifetime experience, but it was all good. It was all fun. I think Orange County, but yeah, lots so many good memories. What I remember most is just the friendship, the laughter more than the destinations. How about how about favorite girls trip activity? Anybody? I can go first.
When I was thinking about girls’ trip, I just remember how it was still a girls trip but not technically. It was your wedding, Jess, in Costa Rica. Just it was a small, quaint boutique hotel but the beach was beautiful. The entire weekend was so beautiful and the intention that went into the wedding. The guests. It just felt like a really like a family vibe. The dinner around the rectangular tables were like out of a movie. Lots of good memories in that one. What came to mind was that I don’t know who got this one, but the plantation that we went to outside Enola. Was that you, Jess? What was the name of it?
The Whitney Plantation.
Meaningful Moments: Favorite Activities And Transformative Experiences
I’m never a part of the planting. I just show up. I never know what. I’m going to get the friendship and camaraderie out of it, but it was just a really meaningful experience and to experience it with you, guys, that’s what I remember. Lots of activities, obviously. How about you, Syl?
I remember when we were in Puerto Rico and we went out to the countryside to get the lechon, which is like a pig roasted on the spit and we were driving. Whenever we were in a car, usually Jessica or Diane drives. Someone may be a backseat driver. I don’t know who that would be, but there was some back seat driving in Puerto Rico, I remember. Nonetheless, I love the lechon. Somebody had us hiking in the woods in Puerto Rico.
We were in the jungle.
Thank you.
You guys did that trip when I got knocked up, so I didn’t get to go.
That’s right. You were pregnant. Girl, we had no cell service out in the jungle. I didn’t know where we were. Sylvia was happy with her lechon and then we’re walking through the woods. Finally, we see this beautiful waterfall. It’s like, “Okay, this was worth it. Can we please get back to an area where somebody can find us in case something happens? That was beautiful. That was fun.
I enjoy bicycling down Highway 1 in California. I hadn’t been on a bike since I was a child.
Those were the motorized bike, right?
If you fail, it’ll be more weight on you.
That was a lot of fun.
I’m going to choose my wedding.
The trip that we went on before the wedding. We went on the bus and they took a sightseeing and we went to the fountain. We had the apple pie, the best apple pie I’ve had my entire life.
Where was this? I must come the next day because this is not ringing a bell for me.
The three of you, you and Leah and Diane, you made it work with your children.
Yeah, once I found out what I was missing out on, though, I need to be there all three days, at least. If it’s a fourth day, I need to be there because I don’t want to miss out.
I did enjoy everybody had a part in the planning and finally, near the end, you all let me take a nap. I got that text you sent Leah.
Vacationing with friends, you know that your vacation with the right people if you can sit it out, take a nap and everybody says okay or we can change course midday and everybody says okay. That’s a good group.
You know you're on vacation with the right people if you can opt out for a nap or change plans midday and everyone is agreeable. That's a good group. Share on XWe were always fed well.
Prioritizing Well-Being: Exploring Personal Self-Care Regimes
We always ask here on the show your self-care regime and it could be aspirational, it could be something you’re currently doing. Leah, can you share your self-care regime?
That’s an interesting one. I think I have started appreciating the power of silence. I will sit in the house with no TV, no radio, no nothing. Just me and God. My family come in and like, “Are you all right? You’re just sitting here with nothing.” That’s just my time to just erase everything. I’ve started doing that also in my drive to work. That’s my time where I am listening to the Bible, just coming in connection with Him.
I have a couple of girlfriends who will call me on my commute but they know like, “You do your meditation while you’re driving?” I’m like, “Yeah.” They’ve learned. Two or three times a week, they’re calling, but they want to make sure I’ve done it. There’s so much noise. That’s just my time to get rid of the noise.
I will drive to work and I’m listening to my Bible because I’m on this thing while I’m trying to read the Bible in a year. It’s been quite interesting, as my sister and I both trying to challenge but that’s just my time to just get rid of the noise. I do it there. I was off work. I literally sat here. I was working but there was nothing on. For me, that has been our way to just to get rid of some of the excess noise.
I love that, being still. That’s great.
Miss Christine is very pleased with that, Leah.
She was not a still woman. She still isn’t a still woman. The Bible of the Year, though, that sounds like Miss Christine to me. That’s great.
Jessica?
I think everyone’s is probably aspirational but mine is really taking some time daily. Leah said to be quiet. I have a hard time with that but I will listen to my meditation and in fact, it was prescribed for me to listen. Also, to walk. There’s a lot that happens during the walk that isn’t just physical and sometimes, a shaking off of whatever, it’s meditative to me. Your mind wanders without interruption other than stopping at stop signs and being aware what’s going on around me but those are probably the two biggest.
I would say probably similar to you, guys, I would add on, I do prayer in the morning, meditation. It’s guided meditation. If I did what you did, Leah, I would probably fall asleep. I have done the like driving to work without anything on and thinking, “I need to listen.” I want to have maybe podcasts or something inspirational I want to listen to, but I find I’m halfway there and like, “Okay, no, this is good. I need to just keep everything off.”
I have done that but also restorative sleep, and just being very intentional about going to bed on time, trying to turn off any type of blue screen before going to bed. Setting boundaries about the television in the bedroom. I’ve never had an issue but someone else that sleeps in my room does and so learning that actually having the conversation about it is helpful and explaining why it can be helpful. Yeah, Carl has given in to that part of eliminating not only the television but also light because it seems as if all the lights have to come on if somebody is entering the room.
Anyway, being intentional about the sleep, how you set the mood before going to sleep and so and trying to get my full eight hours because if I get less than that, I’m not as productive during the day, and then hydration. It’s easier when I’m at home, honestly, to hydrate but trying to be intentional about doing that in terms of taking good care. How about you, Miss Sylvia?
Be intentional about sleep. Share on XWalking is high on my list, as Jessica was saying. Even if like this morning before I started work, I work from home today, I went on like a twenty-minute walk, and it’s a little over a mile and that was it. That first ten minutes, my brain is like, “Squirrel,” and I’m thinking about what I need to do for the day and what I should have done yesterday and all these things. Somewhere halfway through, I’m like, “Look at the sky or there’s a bird.” I can start to really be present and that is helpful for me to just to have that outdoor the walking in nature because not only is that a forest bath, as the technical term, but also, it’s a mindful moving meditation that I really enjoy.
I picked up something fellow coach had in her workshop. I would love to do my exercise in the morning but that means I have to wake up earlier to do that. At 56, it just hasn’t happened yet. I’ve resigned to the fact that it might not, but one of the things she mentioned, maybe instead of taking the hour, do ten minutes. I was like, “I could do that.”
I could get out ten minutes. Sun is up, get some Vitamin D, get equipped walking and do the rest of the exercise later in the day. I think that just goes to, as we get older, it’s important to learn what works best for you because the four of us said similar things but also dissimilar things. Trying to design what works best for you but it sounds like everybody is at least working on something that’s really good. I love that.
Do you get eight hours of sleep?
I do and I need it. When I was delivering babies and not getting that, it wasn’t a great feeling, so yes, I do. Thank you all. I would love to do this again, maybe next year or before, but thank you all for coming to be on. We are grateful. As we were reflecting on the book was published a few years ago. We started our show in 2024 and we’re just grateful for 30-plus years, 30 years of friendship, but 20-plus years of girls’ trips and the value of giving people flowers when they are able to appreciate it. I’m grateful to all of you all, including Diane, for being there for the good, the bad and just life in general. I know that we’ll continue to do that. I just wanted to say thank you.
Just know that you have an open invitation for solo conversations on the show. We will always say yes. In all seriousness, we appreciate you. I’m so grateful to have such awesome women in my life that hold me accountable and also remind me that thing’s improve and get better and to continue to be grateful. Thank you, Jessica and Leah and Diane. We thank you, guys.
Thank you.
Until we meet again, may you be well.
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Reflections & Gratitude: Pearls of Wisdom & Closing Thoughts
All right, Sylvia. That was awesome. I’m so glad that we did this. We talked about just having a campfire conversation about The Game Plan: A Woman’s Guide to Becoming a Doctor and Living a Life in Medicine, what our process was, how the book came to fruition and just talked a little bit about our friendship and set some light on our girls’ trips, which are still in progress. I’m so grateful to Leah and Jessica and we lift up Diane. It was lifing for all of us, but for her and her family. There was so much that we can leave, but in terms of our pearls of wisdom or gems, but what did you take away?
The importance of teamwork, collaboration and sisterhood. That’s all I got. We talk about this really in every episode. We talk about some form of sisterhood, a collaboration and definitely trusting in yourself. Also trusting in those trusted people around you is really important. I am affirmed in ways that I need and sometimes don’t realize that I need because of the four of you. I’m just so grateful. What were your take-homes?
Very similar. I actually wrote down trust on a piece of paper because I trust the four of you implicitly. We tell life stories, we share our ups, we share our downs, and the importance of being vulnerable because oftentimes, that’s when you get into the growth stage in your friendship but also in life and learning about each other. The story about your dad. Sharing our life stories, we learn about how somebody grew up, what they experienced and you come to appreciate what formed them and where they’ve come from, and then maybe how your life might have been different.
Being vulnerable is important because it often leads to growth in friendships and in life as you learn about each other. Share on XI think what we talked about resilience how people can be resilient in spite of, but also why they are the beautiful people that they are because of their experience is. The other thing I loved what Leah had to say, in terms of self-care in silence. I have not verbalized that before, but certainly, like I said, sometimes just driving in the car when I think, “I want to listen to this. I want to listen to that,” but it’s never, “I want to listen to the news,” because that’s not on my top of my list anymore.
The value of just being quiet so that you can shut out. You don’t need to be thinking about but also, it allows those things that are really important for you to reflect on those things, and of course, sisterhood. Beautiful sisterhood. I’m so grateful. I think that’s probably what I’d leave you with. There is so much to be grateful for and I’m very grateful for you on this journey.
Me, too. We always talk about the mutual admiration society. I also realized that we’re lucky to have each other. I didn’t take for granted that everyone doesn’t have relationships like this. The longer I live, I realize that not everyone has people who consistently show up for them. That’s important and that’s how we live our lives because we show up for each other. This is great.
This is nice. Yeah, I’m grateful. All right, hopefully to you, our readers, you found it to be something that might have been helpful. At least something that was worthwhile reading. If you would, please subscribe, like, and even leave us comments or thoughts about what you’d like to see on future episodes. We would love to hear from you. Until we meet again, may you be well.
May you be well.
Important Links
- The Game Plan: A Woman’s Guide to Becoming a Doctor and Living a Life in Medicine
- Dr. Leah Matthews
- Dr. Jessica Osborn
About Leah Matthews
Leah Matthews, MD, MPH is a practicing Pediatrician in Houston, Texas. She is fulfilling her dream of providing quality access to healthcare in a diverse community. When not practicing medicine, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 sons. Leah is an avid traveler and loves to explore the culinary creations and libations from around the world.
Dr. Matthews is a proud Former Student of Texas A&M University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. Dr. Matthews earned her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. While working as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Matthews received her Master of Public Health from The University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston.
Dr. Matthews’s life’s philosophy can be summarized as: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” (Hunter S. Thompson)
About Jessica Osborn
Dr. Jessica Osborn was born in Washington, DC, soon moving with her family to New Jersey, where she spent her formative years. Attending Eastern High School in Voorhees, Dr. Osborn then graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Biology. After Rutgers, Dr. Osborn returned to Washington, DC for four years to attend medical school at Georgetown University, and upon graduation left for Galveston, Texas to complete her residency at the University of Texas, Medical Branch.
Over the decade following completion of her residency, Dr. Osborn honed her skills in Federally Qualified Health Centers at Unity Health Care in Washington, DC, and at Baltimore Medical Systems in Baltimore, MD. After her public service, she returned to Washington, DC, and joined MedStar Washington Primary Care Physicians.
Learning from these diverse experiences about what works – and does not work – in today’s health care environment, Dr. Osborn developed the tools and the impetus to open her own practice. Dr. Osborn founded Jessica L. Osborn M.D. PLLC and then joined Sislen and Associates in Washington, DC, where she has practiced internal medicine since 2011.