Dr. Dorothea Baumgard is Making Waves

Dorothea is an actress, singer, physician. She loves to travel, is learning ballet, and is an assistant professor at the University of Miami. Between her work and genuine love for the performing arts, who has time for their hair? We have loved collaborating with Dorothea as she has integrated the farrah into her busy lifestyle. Read below and learn more about her journey.

Where did you grow up? 

I was born in Romania, but we fled communism and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. I lived in Cleveland until it was time for me to move to Miami to complete my residency in Anesthesiology.

What inspired you growing up?

What inspired me most growing up was music and dance. I loved ballet, and loved prancing around my house to classical music pretending I was a ballerina. I was heavily involved in music from a young age, playing piano since I was 8 and began singing lessons as a teenager. I loved being on stage, and my fondest memories of childhood involve performing in my school musicals
 
You mentioned growing up you always wanted to be an actress or artist.  How do you think your creativity helped you to become a doctor? 

Growing up, I wanted to perform and sing for a living but I did not think I was good enough. I continued to pursue that creativity but had to let it go when I began medical school. That creativity did come in handy during medical school when I had to figure out the best ways to study this massive amount of information. Medicine is generally heavily standardized, but the human body is not. We do not all have the same ailments, or reactions to a particular medicine. This variability is not always focused on, but it was something that drew me to medicine. A creative mind allows me to think outside of the box which helps in diagnosis. The human body is amazing, extremely complex, and oftentimes, difficult to understand.

What have you been doing to stay sane during COVID? 

My job as an anesthesiologist is very stressful. Adding COVID, and a global pandemic makes it even more stressful. Especially at the beginning of the pandemic, when we did not have enough medical supplies to protect ourselves. We would have to recycle N-95 masks, and stay overnight in the hospital for COVID emergencies. Although I do enjoy practicing medicine, it is not what fulfills me. When I would get home from work, I would immerse myself in music or acting classes. I watched so many youtube videos on how to become an actor, and how to get into musical theatre. The pandemic helped me realize what I love to do, and how to pursue it. When I have a bad day, immersing myself into the creative realm of acting or music helped change my mood and outlook.

What does your hair say about you? 

Flirty, care-free and fun. When I feel like my hair looks good, I feel good and everything is alright in the world!

What was your experience like with the farrah? 

Extremely easy to use! I love that I only have to use one hand, and the risk of me burning myself is minimal! I also think it's better on your hair than a normal curling wand because you don't have to wrap the hair around the barrel so tightly.

What effects did using the farrah have on you?

It made me feel beautiful because of the body and curl in my hair! AND it's so easy to use. The learning curve is pretty minimal.