As Montana WWAMI student Ben Held navigates his third year of medical school, he is balancing two significant roles at once: training to become a physician and learning what it means to be a father
Held’s path to medicine began with a desire to address one of Montana’s most persistent public health challenges. “My initial draw to medicine was my interest in working in the mental health field,” he said. “I learned in high school that Montana, among other WWAMI states, consistently has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. I felt drawn to a career where I could make a meaningful impact on this statistic.”
While that motivation remains, his interests have evolved during medical school. Today, he sees himself pursuing rural full-spectrum primary care, where he hopes to build long-term relationships within a community while emphasizing preventive medicine and mental health care.
That vision for the future took on new meaning when his son, Winston, was born shortly after Held completed his final Foundations course.
The timing meant that while many students were dedicating their full attention to preparing for Step 1, Held was balancing exam preparation with the demands of becoming a first-time parent.
“I wanted to be present for my son, support my wife during the postpartum period and prepare for an exam that plays a gatekeeping role in a medical student’s course,” he said. “When I finally accepted that there would be some sleep-deprived nights and that my score might not be as high as I would have hoped, I found peace of mind.”
Like many medical students, Held admits that finding balance remains a work in progress. He describes himself as someone who tends to manage uncertainty by studying more, which can make it difficult to step away from his books. Fatherhood, however, has helped reshape that perspective.
“There are times when my family needs my attention more than my study schedule does,” he said. “Supporting my wife and spending time with my son are priorities that cannot always wait until the work is finished.”
Practical adjustments have helped. During his clinical rotations, Held often wakes up around 5 a.m. to study before heading to clinic so that evenings can be reserved for family time. He credits early bedtimes and a coffee pot timer with helping him stay on track.
Fatherhood has also changed the way he experiences medical training. Before Winston was born, Held had little experience caring for infants. In fact, he says the first baby he clearly remembers holding was his own son. Thanks to a supportive physician who invited him to participate in Winston’s delivery, that moment became especially memorable.
“Delivering Winston was not only the first time I held my son, but also the first time I can remember holding a baby,” he said.
The experience transformed his confidence around pediatric patients. What initially felt intimidating has become more natural thanks to the lessons he learns every day as a parent. “Caring for Winston has taught me a great deal about children, and it has helped me connect more naturally with pediatric patients and their families,” he said. “In many ways, he has been one of my best teachers.”
As Father’s Day arrives, Held is looking forward to spending time with the people who have supported him throughout this journey. His ideal celebration is a simple one: camping with his family in the beautiful Montana wilderness. The trip will mark Winston’s first camping adventure.
Held is quick to recognize that balancing medical school and fatherhood would not be possible without the support of others. He expressed gratitude for the preceptors who have invested in his education and accommodated the realities of student life as a new parent.
Most of all, he credits his wife, Olivia, whose support has helped make both family life and medical training possible.
“For my first two months of clinical rotations, she cared for Winston while working full-time as a kindergarten teacher,” Held said. “I certainly missed Winston during that time, but I never worried about him—Olivia is a wonderful, more than capable mother who has supported us all throughout this journey.”
As he continues his medical education, Held is discovering that the lessons learned at home can be just as meaningful as those learned in the clinic. The patience, flexibility and perspective required for fatherhood are helping shape the kind of physician he hopes to become: one committed to caring for patients, families and communities in rural Montana.