For Dr. Patricia Brock, the journey from a small-town Indiana girl to a senior executive at a world-renowned cancer center began at Ball State University, fueled by a persistent and life-shaping sense of curiosity.
As one of seven children, Patricia followed her father’s lead to Muncie; he believed Ball State was a better, less “rowdy” fit for his daughters than other state schools. When he dropped her off at her dorm, he gave her a simple, silent reminder that she was now on her own. It was a moment she recalls as the start of her transformation from a “naive little girl” to a professional “ready to take on the world”.
Patricia’s foundational years were defined by the rigorous demands of the nursing program, which she describes as a “very tough” but essential preparation for her career. Her daily life was a cycle of early mornings, picking up prepared lunches from the cafeteria, and crossing campus in the “wee hours” to begin clinical check-ins. While the rest of the student body was still asleep, she found a sense of accomplishment in having completed her first tasks by 8:00 a.m..
Life on campus in the 1970s was a world without cell phones or personal cars, where Brock and her friends would hitchhike to the mall or use “drive boards” to coordinate rides with complete strangers to get home for the weekend.
Understanding Why
After graduating magna cum laude in 1975, Patricia entered the nursing profession but soon found herself feeling “unsettled”. Her natural curiosity meant she was never satisfied with just following protocols; she wanted to understand the “why” behind the medical treatments she was administering.
While working in a busy ICU, she observed medical students and began to wonder if she could achieve that same depth of knowledge. Despite having no doctors in her family, she pursued prerequisites at the University of Louisville while still working as a nurse, eventually realizing, “this is the path I want to go on” after discovering a love for physics.
This pursuit of knowledge led to a medical degree in 1983 and a high-pressure surgical residency at UT Southwestern and UT San Antonio. Patricia described this five-year surgical program as a “crazy joyful mix,” balancing grueling training with the birth of her first two children.
“It was very hard, but it was fun,” Patricia said. “I just felt like that’s where I was meant to be.”
One of Dr. Patricia Brock’s family gatherings.
After a ten-year career as a general surgeon, she reached a crossroads and chose to step back from her practice to focus on her four children, famously noting, “you are the only mom these kids have”.
However, her curiosity did not rest during this hiatus. Sparked by a random advertisement in a medical journal and a life-changing trip to El Salvador, she founded Medical Bridges in 1997. This nonprofit recovers medical surplus to help developing nations and has since distributed over $110 million worth of supplies to more than 107 countries.
“My career has evolved greatly. I never thought I would work at a cancer center,” Patricia said. “I have had different life trajectories, but each one taught me more about myself.”
Leading the Cause
Patricia eventually returned to the workforce, serving six years in the ER at Ben Taub Hospital before transitioning to MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she has spent the last 16 years. At MD Anderson, she became a pioneer in the field of oncologic emergency medicine, co-founding national conferences and fellowships for the specialty.
Today, her career has come “full circle”. As the Executive Medical Director of Inpatient Operations, she administratively sits within the Division of Nursing, leading in a “dyad relationship” with other nurse leaders.
Reflecting on her diverse trajectory, Patricia credits Ball State as the “confidence builder” that allowed her to take risks.
“Maintain a sense of curiosity about your profession and the world at large,” she said, encouraging current students. “Take a risk because you’ll find the growth in it that can spur confidence to take on something else.”
If you are interested in building the next generation of medical providers like Dr. Patricia, then please consider making a gift to the College of Health today!