Dr. Andrea Archibald is a Duke GIM Associate Professor of Medicine and a hospitalist physician at Duke Regional Hospital. To get to know her better, we asked her the following questions:
What brought you to Duke?
I came to Duke for my residency in 2009. My husband and I loved the area so much and I had such a great experience in residency that we decided to stay.
What are your interests in the field?
My main interests are medical education and physician advisor work. I really enjoy teaching at all levels of the education process which is one of the things that makes Duke such a great fit. In addition, I am involved in physician advisor work which uses my clinical training in the ever-evolving world of insurance.
How did you get into this specific field?
I always thought I would pursue a fellowship after residency, but during residency, I realized the rotations I enjoyed most were the general medicine months. I liked having a range of different types of patients with different medical issues. I also really enjoyed teaching as I progressed through my training so academic hospitalist was a perfect fit for me.
Is there any research you are doing or plan on doing?
I am currently working on a project that improved autonomy for the residents on the general medicine rotation at DRH. It allows them to chose which patients they take onto their service so it better meets the needs of the team. It has gone well and I am hoping to solidify and improve on the process.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I am definitely a homebody outside of work. My favorite past time is definitely reading. I like to read all different genres but my favorites are romance and science fiction. I also love playing board games (Settlers of Catan for the win!) and watching movies. When venturing out, my husband and I like to try to new breweries/new beers.
Any trips you've taken recently that you would like to share?
We recently went to Mardi Gras this year for the first time. It was so much stuff crammed into just a few days. It was exhausting but so much fun. My 4-year-old had a fantastic time catching all the toys and stuff animals thrown from the floats. We were able to go with my best friend, her family and my parents joined us so it was a really amazing time together.
Any recent books you've read that you would like to share?
I am currently knee-deep in a re-read of the Dresden files in anticipation of 2 new books in the series coming out this year after 6 years of waiting! It is about a wise-cracking wizard detective in Chicago who gets up to all kinds of shenanigans. I can't recommend the series enough for a well-written entertaining read. If you don't thoroughly enjoy the first 2 books, my advice is press on as the books just keep getting better and better as you go!
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I grew up on a dairy and grain farm. That meant that my Saturday mornings were spent in the barn, feeding calves and milking cows. There were times I hated it growing up, but it definitely gave me a love for animals and a great work ethic which I am very grateful for now.
What is your favorite food? 
Oh man, I don't know if I could pick a favorite. I love food. Pretty much all food. If I had to pick something, I would probably go with donuts. My current obsession is Early Bird donuts in Durham.
What is your favorite restaurant?
Again, tough choice. I love all kinds of food. One of the best things about this area is how many amazing local restaurants there are. My previous favorite was Watt's Grocery but sadly they closed recently. If I had to pick some favorites, I would say Dashi, Namu, Dos Perros and Nuvo Taco (previously Nana taco) in Durham. Also, MinGa in Chapel Hill.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I am married with 2 boys, ages 4 and 8 months. The boys keep us on our toes and can't imagine life without them (although the quarantine does make me yearn a bit for the pre-kid days!)