Father, daughter doctors share passion for healing at University of Maryland Medical Center

BALTIMORE - A father and daughter share a passion for the medical profession and a work facility at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC).

Dr. Harry W. Johnson Jr. and his daughter Dr. Molly Johnson are women's health physicians with a special story.

It's like the old saying goes: A daughter's first love is her father. It is a bond that can't be broken. 

But for Dr. Molly and Dr. Harry, their love and passion is being a medical doctor.

"Seeing him be calm, no matter the situation, no matter the complication, that translates to the rest of the room," said Dr. Molly Johnson, a University of Maryland Medical Center chief resident. 

Dr. Harry Johnson is a Urogynecologist and specialist in pelvic reconstruction at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. 

It's a family affair

Dr. Molly Johnson's husband Dr. Joe Clinton is a gastrointestinal doctor. 

"It actually starts even further back," Dr. Harry Johnson. "My father was an OB/GYN and worked at the University of Maryland and I trained with him from 1985 to '89."

Dr. Molly Johnson's paternal grandfather, Dr. Harry W. Johnson Sr., and her mother, Dr. Mary Jo Johnson, were also practicing OB/GYN's at UMMC at various points. 

Dr. Mary Jo, now retired, and Dr. Harry Jr., met as residents at UMMC. 

Dr. Mary Jo went on to specialize in high-risk maternal-fetal medicine at different hospitals/practices and has since retired. 

"So with a grandfather, a father and a mother is OBGYN, I think she was probably maybe just born this way," Dr. Harry Johnson said. "To think that your child wants to do what you do and then wants to train with you, I don't think there can be anything more satisfying to a parent."

Teacher, student -- father, daughter

According to Dr. Molly Johnson, her dad is a patient teacher and mentor who gets his residents into action, especially with cutting-edge procedures like robotic surgery. 

"He's really patient as he kind of helped you learn different techniques. Calm and cool, collected, pretty unflappable, and I think that just comes from all the experience that he has," Dr. Molly Johnson said. "When we're here at work, we treat each other as such as, you know, student and teacher."

"I think one of the things that's really fun is I can now teach her some things that my father taught me, which is really interesting and fun to do," Dr. Harry Johnson said. 

Dr. Molly Johnson said her father has been teaching her for her entire life – helping her with her math and science homework— even coaching her in sports. 

"It's been an absolute honor and highlight of my career to get to learn from him and work with him and I feel so incredibly lucky," Dr. Molly Johnson said. 

"She has a very calm personality. She is very attentive and listens to people. Very caring person, really a servant's heart," said Dr. Harry Johnson said. 

They share a heart for each other and for medicine.

"Dad, it has been the honor of my career to get to learn from you and operate with you. And I feel so lucky to have such a great teacher and such a great father. Happy Father's Day," Dr. Molly Johnson said.