A shared calling

By Lindsay Hughes
[email protected]

This story was originally featured in the Spring 2025 edition of the USA Health magazine.

Husband-and-wife physicians Brian Fouty, M.D., and Christine Fouty, M.D., share a deep sense of purpose in caring for patients, teaching, research and service.

Their paths first crossed at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, where Brian was a pulmonary fellow and Christine was an internal medicine resident. After 26 years of marriage, their connection continues to deepen, with both of them practicing at USA Health, and their two daughters, Anna and Carolene, in medical school at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine.

“USA has been a warm and welcoming place for all of us,” Christine said. “We feel connected to so many people in the healthcare system and in the Whiddon COM and are excited about the growth USA Health and the College of Medicine are undergoing. It’s great to be part of the USA Health family.”

Brian joined the University of South Alabama in 2004 with dual faculty appointments in pharmacology and internal medicine. Troy Stevens, Ph.D., who had worked with Brian at the University of Colorado, recruited him to conduct research at the USA Center for Lung Biology. Brian set up a lab with Victor Solodushko, Ph.D., and they have worked together for the past 21 years. Their research has ranged from examining factors that lead to pulmonary hypertension to developing novel methods for delivering genes and making mRNA vaccines.

In addition to research, he leads the pulmonary/critical care division and directs the fellowship program at USA Health. When he is on service at the hospital, he takes care of patients and performs procedures in the intensive care unit. His varied roles allow him to teach medical students, residents and fellows.

Christine joined USA Health in 2018 as a hospitalist with the newly formed Jag Hospitalist group at University Hospital. She was pleased to be working in an academic environment, where she has the opportunity to attend grand rounds and interact with residents and fellows. She was also drawn to USA Health’s mission, particularly its focus on caring for the underserved.

“USA Health is a vital resource to the communities on the Gulf Coast, and it has been exciting to watch its growth and see the positive impact it has made,” she said.

In 2020, she was appointed chief medical information officer of inpatient services to optimize patient electronic health records. In this leadership position, she serves as a liaison between the health system’s information technology department and its care providers. “This has been a great experience and has allowed me to work with a wider group of people in the information technology department and administration,” she said.

A highlight in the Foutys’ professional lives has been watching their two daughters, Anna and Carolene, chart their own courses in the field. While they never pressured their daughters to pursue the profession, they are supportive and encouraging of their endeavors.

“When I see them in the hospital or on the campus and see how mature and competent they are, it is humbling,” Christine said, “and I am so thankful to be part of this experience with them.”

Christine said she loves running into Anna at the hospital, grabbing a quick cup of coffee with her, and learning about her clinical experiences. Likewise, she enjoys seeing Carolene on campus and hearing about her classes and standardized patients. “It is wonderful!” she said. “It has been so great to watch both of them reach the next milestones, and it brings back great memories of my medical school years.”

Brian, too, savors the time he spends with his daughters at home or on the job. “It’s fun having both around after having them gone for four years when they were in college,” he said. “I get to teach them the respiratory physiology module during second year, which is nice, and I also see them at the hospital during their third and fourth years.”

While the Foutys’ daughters are pursuing medicine, their son, Andrew, is blazing a different – and equally impressive – trail. He is currently a senior at Columbia University in New York, where he is studying environmental engineering and continuing his swimming career. He is also in the process of applying to Ph.D. programs.

Sisters in medicine and life

Raised by physician-scientists, sisters Anna and Carolene have always been inspired by the example set by their parents – both as professionals and as human beings.

“It has been special to get the opportunity to get to see my parents do what they love,” Anna said.

Throughout their school years, both Anna and Carolene excelled in academics, sports and extracurriculars. Anna graduated from McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in 2017, followed by Carolene in 2019. While they chose different paths for college – Anna earning a degree in biomedical sciences and nutrition science at Auburn University, and Carolene studying Spanish at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. – their bond remained as strong as ever.

Now, the sisters are on parallel journeys to becoming doctors at the Whiddon College of Medicine. Anna is in her final year of medical school, preparing for a career in internal medicine, while Carolene is finishing her first year and exploring all options, with a current interest in anesthesia.

Their decision to attend the Whiddon COM was motivated by a combination of academic excellence, a supportive learning environment that was close to home, and their unique familial connections. Their father, Brian, shared info about the high level of residency programs fourth-year students have been accepted into as well as feedback from medical students he has taught over the years. With this insight, Anna and Carolene both chose the Whiddon College of Medicine.

Though their time will only overlap for one year, the sisters have found it invaluable to lean on each other during the ups and downs of medical school. With long days of studying or working in the hospital, they make sure to prioritize their mental and physical well-being. Carolene swims laps at the USA Rec Center every morning, and the two of them often go for a walk or run together in the afternoon.

“It’s been very exciting to have my younger sister in medical school with me for a year. We have been able to bond over shared experiences and rigors of medical school,” Anna said. Carolene agreed: “It’s nice to have someone to look to for advice and to talk to about life as a medical student.”

Living life to the fullest

When not immersed in their demanding careers and studies, the Fouty family treasures their time together. Brian reflected on memories of when his brother, who has Down syndrome, lived with the family for three years when the children were younger. “They all were great with him,” he said, “taking him to Starbucks for coffee, to Blakeley State Park to walk, and to the Exceptional Foundation where he spent time during the day when we were at work and school.”

One of their favorite traditions is spending Thanksgiving with extended family in Seattle. The family of national park enthusiasts also fondly recall a camping trip through Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. “We have so many wonderful trips to look back on, but that one stands out,” Christine said.

The Foutys are clearly ambitious and accomplished, but the qualities that shine through the most are their genuine love and affection for one another. When asked to describe their family, each member chimed in with adjectives like “fun, adventurous, caring and passionate.” These descriptors capture the spirit of a close-knit family that works hard and plays hard, living each moment to the fullest.