Of the 21 University of Colorado Department of Medicine faculty members who are the first to be inducted into the department’s Clinical Excellence Society, all are MDs but one. Maria Vejar, DNP, says it “blows my mind” to be the one who’s an advanced practice provider.
“I’m still in shock and awe,” says Vejar, an assistant professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine who earned her doctorate of nursing practice in 2012. “Honestly, it takes my breath away. And the honor means even more to me to be the only APP provider.”
Vejar is delighted that she was inducted into the society along with the doctor she describes as her “work spouse” in geriatrics, Bennett Parnes, MD, with whom she has worked for nearly a quarter century in caring for seniors. “We talk often about how we can’t believe we’re in the company of these amazing individuals,” she says.
Yet Vejar’s recognition as an outstanding clinician would come as no surprise to her many appreciative patients and their families at the UCHealth Seniors Clinic in the Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion.
“I feel like Maria Vejar cares about my grandmother as much as I do,” one caregiver wrote in a patient survey. “I am grateful she was sent to take care of us! Ms. Vejar always checks to see if there is anything she can do to help me help my grandmother.”
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A warm, loving presence
In her nominating letter, geriatrics division head Cari Levy, MD, PhD, describes Vejar as “one of those clinicians you want caring for your loved ones, as evidenced by the myriad colleagues who refer their loved ones to her for care. Her patients travel from rural areas of the state, other states, and one from Costa Rica to see her.”
Levy adds: “All who meet Maria are struck by her smile and her warm, loving presence.” She notes that “each time I pass her desk, every inch of her office is covered with notes, photos, and artwork celebrating the joy she derives from her patients, colleagues, and family.”
Levy also praises Vejar’s work in “training the next generation of clinicians and clinical quality improvement efforts as well as her unique contributions to cultivating diversity on campus and wellness within our clinical community.”
Shaped by experiences
Asked about her path to medicine, Vejar says that her mother was a nurse, and she attributes her interest in geriatric medicine to her grandparents, with whom she was very close.
“I watched them age with such grace and dignity and really savoring each day, despite the physical challenges that would come their way,” she says. “And then a turning point for me was watching my grandfather pass when I was about 13. I was in the ICU and I had never seen anything like that in my life, all the bells and whistles and people running back and forth. Watching those people care for my grandfather – not only him but also his family – with such kindness and compassion at our greatest time of need was something I’ll never forget.”
Not long after becoming a nurse, Vejar’s brother died at age 29 of necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating disease, and she watched the medical staff try to save his life. “The same thing with my wife, who dealt with cancer and is now a survivor,” she says. “These experiences really shaped me and how I care for my patients.”
Maria Vejar, DNP, with colleague Bennett Parnes, MD, with whom she has worked for nearly a quarter century in caring for seniors, at the CU Department of Medicine's Clinical Excellence Society induction ceremony on February 8, 2024. Photo by Paul Wedlake for the CU Department of Medicine.
Feeling safe and welcomed
The Golden Rule guides Vejar’s patient-care philosophy: “When I see someone, I want to treat them in the same way that I would want to be treated, or how I would want my mother to be treated, or my brother, or my wife, or my son. It’s very important to me, and it’s not always the case. I want people to feel safe and welcomed and appreciated, regardless of their background and their history.”
She says that because every patient’s personal journey is different, she seeks to understand “what the concept of healing means to each person I care for, so I can help them live their best life.”
She also emphasizes the crucial role played by her patients’ caregivers outside of the clinic. “Depending on what’s going on – dementia, for example, or a serious illness such as cancer – it’s a lot for a patient to manage by themselves. So having caregivers is tremendously important.”
Vejar’s patients’ average age is 87 and many have highly complex conditions. She says some patients, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, “come feeling broken and lost and they seek healing and hope – to simply be heard and know that they matter, their story matters, their life matters.”
She adds: “We’re all part of the journey of aging. Our lives change, our bodies change, and our minds change. Maybe there’s the loss of a spouse or partner, or the loss of independence. It can be a difficult part of life. But seniors are some of the strongest individuals among us. They show such grace and gratitude for waking up each day. That’s the greatest lesson, honestly.”
Elevating APPs
Levy says that Vejar’s selection for the Clinical Excellence Society is “a tremendous inspiration to other advance practice providers.” And Vejar says she hopes to “make a difference and help build up the number of APPs” in future classes of inductees.
In 2021, when the geriatric medicine division launched its APP fellowship, Vejar was a preceptor to the first class of fellows, and she has served on an APP career development task force the last few years.
“I feel like I’m in a unique position,” she says. “I want to reach out, ask questions, and try to help elevate issues related to APPs, because there are so many great ones out there.”
Photo at top: Maria Vejar, DNP, is inducted into the CU Department of Medicine's Clinical Excellence Society by department Chair Vineet Chopra, MD, MSc (left) and John Carethers, MD, vice chancellor for health sciences at the University of California, San Diego, at a ceremony on February 8, 2024. Photo by Paul Wedlake for the CU Department of Medicine.
