For Dr. Natalie Cheng, the path to medicine began somewhere unexpected; engineering.
Early in her career, she worked in the automotive industry, contributing to the technical and solutions side of design. But something was missing.
“I felt too far removed from the people I was trying to help,” she says.
That realization led her to make a significant career shift into healthcare, and ultimately Dr. Cheng found her place in medicine; focusing on connection, compassion, and the impact that comes together in a deeply human way.
“I wanted to be closer to the people I was helping,” she explains.
Today, the sense of connection continues to define Dr. Cheng’s work as both a physician and a leader; she balances time at the bedside with her role as DGH’s Medical Site Lead, ensuring patient care is both compassionate, and comprehensive.
“I value that one-on-one interaction with patients,” she says. “But working in leadership also allows me to advocate for what patients and providers need at a higher level. One really informs the other.”
Dr. Cheng says there is no single defining moment that confirms she made the right decision to move from engineering to medicine: “It’s not one moment. It’s every day.”
That decision is reinforced through meaningful patient interactions and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Dr. Cheng describes being a physician as both a privilege and a responsibility that she approaches with great humility.
That perspective is shaped by the resilience of the people with whom she works.
“In medicine, you work with individuals at some of the most difficult moments in their lives,” she says. “And what always strikes me is the strength, gratitude, and perseverance I so often witness in my patients and their loved ones.”
And Dr. Cheng notes that this resilience isn’t just limited to patients. She sees it reflected in her colleagues; healthcare providers who continue to show up, support one another and their patients, and go the extra mile, even in the face of challenges.
“It’s incredibly inspiring,” she says.
On Physicians Day, stories like Dr. Cheng’s offer a glimpse into the broader dedication, thoughtfulness, and humanity that defines healthcare at its core.
Behind each diagnosis, decision, and moment of care, there is a physician committed not just to medicine; they are committed to the people.
For Dr. Cheng, that commitment is reaffirmed each day.
On this Physician’s Day, we thank all physicians for their continued dedication and hard work to make patient care the best it can be at Dartmouth General Hospital.
