Undergraduate: Rice University, 2004, B.S. Electrical Engineering
Medical School: Texas Tech University, 2011
Residency: WashU Medicine, 2015
Fellowship in Pain Medicine: Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornell University – New York Presbyterian Hospital, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 2016
What have you done since residency?
After residency, I moved to New York City for an interventional pain management fellowship through three different hospitals: Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornell University – New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. After completing fellowship, I decided to stay in New York, and I now work for Memorial Sloan Kettering as an attending in interventional cancer pain management. My role includes utilizing my understanding of anatomy to perform various interventions for cancer patients with pain from various tumors, chemotherapy, radiation, etc. I spend some time performing regional anesthesia and manage postoperative inpatient pain as well. I continue to practice anesthesia by providing anesthesia for cancer patients. While I work mostly on my own, I also have the opportunity to teach and supervise rotating residents and fellows from many of the other New York City hospitals.
How did WashU’s residency program prepare you for your practice?
The residency program at WashU was an excellent stepping-stone toward my career. Barnes-Jewish Hospital has a diverse patient population and offers a wide variety of surgical cases, ranging from routine to uniquely challenging. My experiences during residency prepared me for all the patients and cases I encountered afterward. During fellowship, I met many colleagues who trained elsewhere and had not encountered many of the procedures or cases I had routinely seen at WashU Medicine. Secondly, many faculty members were very helpful in promoting my future, helping me grow professionally and personally. Lastly, WashU Medicine was regarded with respect at all of my post-fellowship job interviews, which helped set me apart from other applicants.
What advice would you give to applicants?
My number one advice for applicants is to find a place that aligns with your future goals. If you are unsure what your goals are at this time, find a place that gives you the opportunity to explore all the options. When I started my residency, I had originally wanted to go into critical care. Luckily at WashU Medicine, we had an enormous amount of exposure to all of the various anesthesia specialties, and I was able to find my true calling in the field of interventional pain management. Find a place where you will get the best training because those four years will define your future. My four years at WashU Medicine really prepared me for the world after residency, and I will always be grateful to my mentors for the excellent quality of my training.