Undergrad Institution; Degree and Major:
University of Georgia-Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
Medical School:
Emory University School of Medicine
In practice since:
1997
Your Specialty:
Anesthesiology
Where and for how many years did you train AFTER medical school:
Emory University Affiliated Hospitals - 4 years (Transitional Medicine for 1 year, Anesthesiology Residency for 3 years)
How did you choose your specialty?
I enjoy caring for patients of all ages and with diverse co-existing disease states in a critical setting. Anesthesiology allows me to incorporate my knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology into a practice which involves opportunities to perform procedures related to airway management, invasive patient monitoring, as well as regional anesthesia.
What do you like MOST, and like LEAST, about your specialty?
MOST: I enjoy meeting new people every day and helping them through stressful events in their lives. My interaction with patients, from their arrival in the pre-op area until their discharge from the PACU, provides me with immediate feedback on my performance as a healthcare provider.
LEAST: Limited opportunity for professional and social interaction with my anesthesia colleagues when I am personally providing the anesthetic.
In your opinion, what attributes are important in anyone choosing this specialty?
- Sound fund of knowledge about multiple specialties (you are the internist, pediatrician, neurologist, nephrologist, etc. in the OR)
- Collaborative personality, team player
- Solution seeker
- Creative thinker
- Enjoy performing procedures
- Work well in stressful situations
Hobbies/special interests:
- Fitness: running, cross-training
- Traveling with my family
- Supporting my sons’ sports teams
- Serving on non-profit boards related to education and healthcare
- Reading