Finding Her Passion in Women’s Health
Dr. Nora Arronte has spent nearly two decades at Novant Providence OBGYN, where she’s built a thriving practice focused on women’s health. While many assume she always knew this was her path, Dr. Arronte actually entered medical school with different plans.
“I actually didn’t know I was passionate about women’s health until going through medical school. I went to medical school thinking that I wanted to be a pediatrician,” she shares. It wasn’t until her third year of medical school during her gynecology rotation that everything changed.
“I’d never been exposed to OBGYN… and just fell in love with the women’s health side of it. Just the fact that I could concentrate on taking good care of women,” Dr. Arronte recalls. “I enjoyed the fact that it was a good combination of primary care for these women patients as well as surgical care.”
Building Meaningful Connections Through Medicine
After 18 years in practice, Dr. Arronte has witnessed the profound impact of continuity of care in women’s health. One of the most rewarding aspects of her career has been building lasting relationships with her patients.
“It’s almost like kind of being part of their family, and it’s been really neat to see them grow as families and grow as moms,” she explains. “I’m at the point, which is very humbling, but I’m at the point in my career where I’m starting to see some of the teenage girls I originally delivered 18 years ago.”
Dr. Arronte’s Cuban background has also created special connections with her Latina patients, many of whom are immigrants themselves. “That population has just been amazing… many of them are just so grateful for care.”
Family Values That Shaped a Medical Career
Dr. Arronte’s perseverance is deeply rooted in her family’s immigrant experience. Her mother left Cuba as a 12-year-old just before Castro took office, while her father departed after living under the communist regime.
“My parents just always instilled, made it a point to underscore the fact that they left everything behind, came to a country that they didn’t know… and they just kind of worked hard,” Dr. Arronte shares. “Their motto was always like it’s about the future generation.”
These values shaped her approach to medicine: “I think my parents are probably what instilled in me just that desire to work hard, to do good at what I do, to do everything with a lot of passion and love.”
Overcoming Doubt on Her Professional Journey
When asked about facing doubt or opposition in her career, Dr. Arronte shared a surprising personal story about her mother’s reaction when she completed her residency.
“My mom has always been very supportive of my career. But I remember when I finished residency, getting ready to start my career here, and my mom made a comment, ‘You actually did it,'” she recalls. “As if she doubted that I was going to follow through and do this.”
This moment of doubt from someone so close to her became a personal obstacle that Dr. Arronte had to overcome. “I’ve known that I wanted to be a doctor since I like, as early as I can remember. I probably like nine or 10… I always said that that’s what I wanted to be.”
Despite this unexpected challenge, Dr. Arronte persevered. “I’ve been really blessed in my career. I’ve had good support at work. I’ve surrounded myself with great colleagues. It’s like a family essentially.”
Finding Balance Through Passion Projects
Like many healthcare professionals, Dr. Arronte has faced the ongoing challenge of balancing her demanding career with personal life. As a mother to a teenager, she’s developed strategies to maintain this balance.
“When I’m home, I try to be home,” she explains. “I do the majority of my work at work, and it might bring me home late at times, but when I’m home, I completely disconnect.”
She also emphasizes the importance of finding joy outside of medicine: “I try to find things that I’m passionate about outside of my field… we love to travel. I love to bake. And so I try to bake when I’m free. I just find things that are not related to my field that make me happy.”
Her current baking passion? “Sourdough bread is right now my main thing. I’ve kept the sourdough starter now for almost a year, and it is really like another kid, but it’s really fun.”
Strong Role Models Shape a Strong Leader
Dr. Arronte credits several key figures as inspirations throughout her life and career. Her grandmother exemplified perseverance by pursuing nursing education at age 50 after raising her family.
“She decided to go back, get her undergraduate degree, get her postgraduate, and then apply to nursing school, and she became a nurse,” Dr. Arronte shares proudly.
In her professional development, mentors like Dr. Laurel Rice, whom she describes as “a powerhouse,” showed her how to balance medical excellence with compassion and family life. “She just really concentrated on her profession, but was also an incredible mom. She was all about the patients.”
Advocating for Women’s Health and Rights
As she continues her career, Dr. Arronte sees her role extending beyond clinical care to advocacy, especially for her immigrant patients.
“With everything that’s been going on politically, and again, I have a large population of immigrants, Latinas, just kind of continuing to offer the best care when they come to see me,” she explains.
She recognizes the multifaceted nature of her work: “I wear many hats, and one of those hats is just kind of those therapists, kind of sitting there and listening to them about what their fears are and what they’re encountering at this point.”
Dr. Arronte is also committed to standing up for women’s healthcare rights: “There’s been a lot of controversy around terminations and women’s contraceptive rights, and just always trying to stay at the front of that and trying to advocate for our patients.”
Words of Wisdom for Future Healthcare Leaders
If she could send a message to her younger self, Dr. Arronte would offer reassurance: “I would tell her not to worry too much, that it’s going to be okay. Like that, you’re going to end up where you need to end up, and it’s going to be great, and you’re going to impact a lot of people.”
For those following a similar path who might face obstacles, her advice is simple but powerful: “You have to find what your passion is, and then you have to do it well. And if you can do that and make a career out of it, that’s phenomenal.”
She adds, “You always have to approach things with a lot of love because otherwise, you’re not going to do a good job, and you’re not going to serve where you need to serve.”