Meet Dr. Haley D. Heibel

We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Haley D. Heibel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Haley D. Heibel, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I am a very determined person and have been from a young age. My involvement in competitive volleyball and tennis definitely helped cultivate my resiliency, and I am grateful for how it prepared me for a career in medicine. I was a setter in volleyball, a leadership position that required navigating the team through difficult matches. As a singles tennis player, I learned to have faith in myself and my abilities and developed mental strength. To be a physician requires resiliency – it is a demanding role both physically and emotionally. However, my early course after graduating medical school was challenging, and I did not have a choice but to believe in myself and be resilient. In my intern year, I was working at a hospital in New York City, which became a COVID-19 only hospital in the midst of the pandemic. My path to dermatology required multiple re-applications to residency and moving four times in four years to try again, which required optimism and persistence. To me, I am grateful to have overcome obstacles early in my career because it has helped me build trust in my strength and confidence in myself.
My resilience is a product of what I’ve gone through and accomplished on my own terms. Resiliency cannot be appropriately fostered with an easy road. I’ve matured and grown a lot over the last four years, and, throughout the ups and downs, I had to reflect on my values and make decisions based on them. I also knew very strongly that I didn’t want to live a life of regret and “what ifs” because I gave up. I overcame difficult emotions and kept showing up. I faced my fears head-on and stepped into situations and experiences that I was most afraid of instead of shying away from them. As an introvert, I know myself and my strengths well, which is essential to facing any difficulty. I also receive tremendous support from my family, friends, and mentors.
My creative pursuit, “Embrace Your Skin, Embrace Yourself,” which is my first published children’s book to advocate for children who suffer from skin disease and to promote inclusivity and belonging in social groups has been an important aspect of my journey. This creative outlet helped me connect with my purpose in pursuing a career in dermatology as well as patients. I’ve learned a lot by going through the publication process as well and completing this project and promoting it has required resilience.
I also enjoy surrounding myself by positive, brave, and creative people who encourage me and think outside of the box. Living in New York City has provided an opportunity to connect with other authors, creatives, and entrepreneurs who have inspired me along the way.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Haley Heibel, and I am a physician pursuing my dream of becoming a dermatologist in New York City as well as author of “Embrace Your Skin, Embrace Yourself.” I am from Lincoln, Nebraska, and my father inspired my calling to the field of dermatology, which was strengthened by seeing how skin diseases affected my peers and others. After completing my pediatrics internship, I wanted to create a book that would connect with families in a personal way and saw a need to provide education and advocacy materials for children suffering from skin disease. Embrace Your Skin, Embrace Yourself is my first published children’s book and was written to advocate for children who suffer from skin disease to feel more confident in their own skin. In addition, my goal is to promote inclusivity and belonging in social groups. I am proud of the message that I’ve created in Embrace Your Skin, Embrace Yourself, and my ability to use this as a vehicle to express myself as well as connect with and advocate for patients. I hope that readers will feel inspired to be true to who they are and realize that their confidence and self-esteem come from within. It is most important to be kind to everyone and to apply your skills to help other people.
Recently, I was an exhibitor at the inaugural Women with Ambition Female Founder Entrepreneur Expo, where I had the opportunity to meet with leaders of female-led businesses. I’ve also shared the message of my book with support groups of different dermatologic conditions. “Embrace Your Skin, Embrace Yourself” has opened opportunities to connect with others that I would not have expected!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
• Seek out mentors: In my pursuit of a career in dermatology, I sought to work with some of the most accomplished people who I could learn the most from. I wasn’t simply looking for an option that would give a definite career path, but instead focused on, if I was successful in getting my career of choice, and I were to look back, what experience would prepare me best for this career? I’ve worked with incredibly productive, creative, and generous mentors who have guided my career and helped me grow as an individual and professional in ways that I wouldn’t have expected. Although my path wasn’t straight, I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Working with my mentors has made me a courageous person, including having the courage to publish Embrace Your Skin, Embrace Yourself. • Own who you are, your journey, and what makes you different: These are your most precious qualities that should be safeguarded. Advice from others can be helpful to grow and improve, but it is never worth it to change who you are in order to please other people or to “fit in.” Stick to what is important to you and your values. The right person will appreciate it, and rejection gets you closer to what’s meant for you.
• Know that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations, and never, never give up! Patience is part of the journey. Keep showing up. This is what differentiates you from obtaining your goals and doing something other than your dream job. No matter how hard it is, keep going. Take breaks if you need them, but do not give up. Do not let criticism or other people’s opinions keep you from obtaining your dreams.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
I’ve learned to trust myself and take calculated risks. Over the last four years, I’ve moved to a new location each year and adjusted to a new work environment, which takes time to get acclimated. I have become more comfortable with embracing challenges and learning to solve them effectively. I’ve built my confidence by seeking out challenging opportunities that I knew would stretch me outside of my comfort zone and staying true to myself and my values. I’ve said yes to difficult things and learned from them and increased my belief in myself each time I push myself a bit further. I’ve recognized the importance of setting limits and when to say, “No.” I’m a bit of a perfectionist and always striving to do better, which can interfere with a confident mindset, so I work to be more present, recognize how far I’ve come, and take things as they come. I’ve also learned the importance of listening to my inner voice and having self-belief, so I recognize when to take other opinions into account or with a grain of salt.

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