Beth Sanley, MD ABFM
“I never saw myself as a teacher; however during residency, I found that fellow residents were drawn to me for help and advice—I realized I really enjoyed that role. I did not have the easiest road to becoming a doctor—I had my fair share of struggles in medical school. I now know that I was not alone. Now that I am on the other side, I want to be there for others who had similar experiences. I want to inspire medical students and residents to follow their dreams and never give up. I want to give back to the field of medicine and help teach the next generation.”
The variety that family medicine offers is what Dr. Sanley enjoys most about her specialty. She loves that you can focus on whatever you want in your career, such as outpatient, inpatient/hospitalist, palliative, obstetrics, pediatrics, emergency medicine–or you can do it all. She has always had a special interest in working with patients who are at the end of their life, i.e. palliative and hospice medicine. Since the birth of her children, her love and passion for pediatrics has blossomed. She also loves the relationships she has developed over the years with her patients, and feels it is so special being there for them in their happiest of times while also supporting them in some of their worst times.
After starting her own family, Dr. Sanley knew she wanted to practice in Lincoln as all her family lives in or near Lincoln and family is very important to her. When looking at different options, joining the Lincoln Family Medicine Residency faculty was the right choice for her. It allows her to take care of her own patients in the hospital, deliver babies, which not many family physicians in Lincoln still do, and educate and train future family medicine physicians.
Dr. Sanley has been a faculty member at the Program since 2020, and she has been able to share her knowledge and experiences with the residents. She has added a unique view to the program as their newest faculty member and recent graduate. When it comes to one piece of advice for residents, Dr. Sanley encourages them to jump in with both feet even though it can be scary–"That is how you learn." She also suggests that residents not be afraid to ask for help— “That is what we are here for.”
When she is not working, Dr. Sanley spends most of her time with her family: her husband (Josh), and their three children (Wyatt, Arlo, and Jade). They also have two Labrador Retrievers, Gracie and Willow, who keep them very busy. Their favorite thing to do as a family is to go camping. Her other love is cooking; if she was not a physician, she would most likely be a chef.
Dr. Sanley grew up in Seward, Nebraska. She attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Biology, with minors in Chemistry and Psychology. She earned her Medical Degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed her Family Medicine residency at Lincoln Family Medicine Residency Program.