Trailside Vitals

Hello! We are Patrick and Julia!

We’re Patrick and Julia — two people who met through our love of medicine and discovered an even deeper passion for the outdoors through each other. We didn’t grow up hiking every mountain or living out of backpacks. In fact, our journey into this world started at the gym.

Patrick was an NCAA lacrosse player, and Julia was all about weightlifting. But when we started dating, our idea of adventure evolved. We combined our fitness backgrounds with our love for travel and slowly traded gym chalk for trail dust.

Medicine Meets Mountain Tops

Patrick works as an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant and was formerly an EMT. Julia is a second-year medical student with interests in emergency medicine, oncology, and surgery. Needless to say, our schedules are chaotic. Sometimes the only escape from the fluorescent lights of a hospital is the glow of a campfire or the rising sun on a ridgeline.

Balancing medicine and the outdoors isn’t easy. It means squeezing in day hikes between shifts or crashing into sleeping bags after 12-hour days. But we make it work. On his time off, Patrick has worked as a whitewater rafting guide. Before starting med school, Julia spent her days surfing waves around the country. Adventure is always calling — we just answer when we can.

Why “Trailside Vitals”?

The name is our tribute to the lifestyle we lead — one foot in medicine, the other on the trail. It’s about the idea that healing doesn’t always happen in hospitals. Sometimes it happens with every step you take away from one. We created Trailside Vitals to connect with other people in medicine or high-pressure careers who also crave the outdoors.

What You’ll Find Here

We started this blog and our social platforms (TikTok, Youtube, Instagram) as a way to look back on our journey. But it’s also here to inspire you — whether you’re in medicine, law, teaching, or simply stretched too thin — to pursue what lights you up.

We share:

• Honest gear reviews (especially from the perspective of weekend warriors)
• Backpacking and camping vlogs
• What’s in our packs
• Short-form trail content
• Tips for balancing healthcare careers with outdoor lifestyles
• Bowie’s adventures — our Pomsky pup from Arizona who hikes with us whenever possible

The Real Story

We don’t live out of a van or spend 200 nights a year on the trail. We’re “whenever we can get out there” warriors. From a spontaneous day hike to a week-long trek (if we’re lucky), we go when we can, with what we have.

Our first sunrise hike in the Adirondacks was a total disaster — October chill, a barely functioning flashlight, and a high chance of bears. But we made it out and, strangely, we wanted more.

What We Hope You Take Away

We’re not here to sell a fantasy. We’re here to keep it real. Hiking and camping aren’t always aesthetic — and they don’t have to be your full-time job to be a part of your life.

We hope you walk away with the courage to pursue your own version of adventure — whether that’s a cross-country hike, a solo road trip, or just carving out a few hours for yourself.

Life is meant to be lived. Don’t let others keep you from your path. Dream big. Do it messy. Just go!