Lancaster Physician Winter 2018 - 17

winter 2018

Passion Outside of Practice
It's our pleasure to highlight a Lancaster City & County Medical Society member's "passion outside of practice"
in each issue of Lancaster Physician. Beyond their commitment to health care, LCCMS members have many
other talents, skills, and interests that might surprise you. In this issue, we're thrilled to feature Jenna Fox, MD,
and her passion outside of practice.

Jenna Fox, MD,

Third Year Resident, Lancaster General
Health Family Residency Program

and came with a giant cardboard check, which was
pretty exciting for a college student. Her daughter,
Foxmont J Goldwyn Dena-ET, won Best Bred &
Owned at the 2017 PA Spring Holstein Show, as
well as Honorable Mention All-PA this year. I'm
really lucky to have resident colleagues, faculty
members, and program staff that find this hobby to
be pretty cool and have supported all the PTB days
I've taken to show little Dena over the past couple
of years!

2. How did you develop an interest in
your passion outside of practice?

I've been raising and showing Holsteins since about
1998, when I was a young lady of 8 who really just
thought she wanted a pony. My father, who grew up
on a dairy farm and has worked within the industry
ever since, suggested a 4-H project calf instead-and
there's been no turning back!

3. Why is this pursuit special to you?

Fox and Dena with Fox's parents (R) and friends (L) who house Dena
since her win as Best Bred & Owned.

Passion Outside of Practice:
Raising and Showing Holstein Dairy Cows

1. Would you briefly describe your
passion outside of practice for those
who might be unfamiliar with it?

Outside of my work as a third year Family Medicine
resident at Lancaster General, most of my time is
devoted to raising and showing Holstein dairy cows.
This involves a lot of phone calls with my parents,
who are primarily managing our animals back where
I grew up (in Somerset County, PA), along with some
family friends. The actual shows are similar to the
dog shows you may have watched on TV; we wash/
groom the cattle and then walk them around a show

ring for judging on their body structure, udder
quality, breed character, and various other features.
Classes are by age, from small calves all the way up
to big cows that have made over 125,000 pounds
of milk in their lifetime! I've shown our cows in
several states over the years-namely PA, KY, WI, and
NY-and have made some wonderful friends along
the way. I've also been fortunate to have a couple
of pretty good animals over the years, including JB
Glenval Approval Dena, the Supreme Champion of
the 2009 North American International Livestock
Exposition Junior Show. It was as fancy as it sounds

LANCASTER

PHYSICIAN

I credit the interesting interview conversations
sustained by this unusual hobby for getting me
into medical school, and Holsteins have provided
material for some rather unique personal statements
to residency and fellowship as well. Even more
important, raising cows is what gave me a foundation
in hard work. And showing has been a wonderful
bonding activity for my family that has also kept
me close with them during my medical training. I'd
like to think my path to surgical OB fellowship and
eventual full scope rural practice was somewhat
related to all the reproductive technology (including
in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer) and other
science involved in the Holstein business throughout
my youth.

4. What else would you like readers to
know about this?
Showing Holsteins is a ton of fun! Feel free to ask
me for the details about how you breed and raise a
winner if you're interested in learning more.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lancaster Physician Winter 2018