People

Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: February 2025

Garrett is a CA-1 resident in the Department of Anesthesiology. Originally from Albuquerque, NM, he developed an early interest in medicine and patient care while working as an LPN at an ambulatory pediatric clinic. He later completed his bachelor's degree in biochemistry at the University of New Mexico before earning his medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. Now in residency, Garrett is passionate about perioperative patient safety, quality improvement, and optimizing anesthesia workflows. While still exploring his long-term career path, he is strongly considering a fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology.

Beyond medicine, Garrett values the close relationships he has built over the years. His large, tight-knit family—including 30 first cousins—has always been central to his life, and he makes it a priority to stay connected with them despite the demands of residency. He also remains close with friends from his hometown and medical school, cherishing the bonds formed through shared experiences and late-night study sessions. Since moving to St. Louis, Garrett has found a strong sense of community within his residency program, which has made the transition to a new city seamless. Whether exploring the city’s food scene, unwinding after long shifts, or sharing a laugh in the resident lounge, his co-residents have become an extension of his support system. He is often outside of the city visiting his partner, Victoria, in Baltimore whenever he can, and they enjoy exploring new places together.

In his free time, Garrett enjoys baking, experimenting with new dessert recipes, and perfecting his espresso technique as a dedicated home barista. He also loves getting lost in a good book or unwinding with TV—while Game of Thrones is his all-time favorite, he has a well-known soft spot for reality TV. No matter where life takes him, Garrett finds the most joy in sharing these moments with the people who matter most.

Department of Anesthesiology APP of the Quarter: March 2025

Originally from Sullivan, MO, Paige earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Columbia College. She began her healthcare journey in 2017 as a patient care technician to gain experience for physician assistant school. During her clinical training as a PA, she rotated through the SICU and later joined the WashU Medicine Critical Care APP team after graduating from SLU in December 2022.

Paige Cardoza, PA-C, has been nominated as the March 2025 APP of the Quarter!

Paige’s nominator highlighted her incredible dedication, sharing how she went above and beyond to plan a wedding for a patient’s daughter—ensuring the patient could be present for the special moment, complete with photos.

Beyond her clinical excellence, Paige is deeply involved in supporting PA students, mentoring colleagues, and serving on the Social & Well-Being Committee. Her colleagues consistently praise her willingness to help, even on the busiest shifts.

Department of Anesthesiology APP of the Quarter: October 2020

Kathleen has been a Physician Assistant in the Surgical ICU at Barnes/Washington University since 2017. Originally from Sacramento, California, Kathleen lived in the Bay Area of California for six years to complete her undergraduate degree at Santa Clara University and then worked as an EMT. She then moved to St. Louis in 2014 to start her Physician Assistant program at Saint Louis University. She quickly fell in love with St. Louis and it's Midwest feel (without the up-North winters) and began working at Washington University soon after gaining her Physician Assistant Master of Medical Science degree.

The Surgical ICU has been the perfect job for Kathleen as she loves to stay busy and work in a fast paced environment. Her co-workers are amazingly supportive and have truly become close friends. She appreciates the challenges that her patients' present and has enjoyed occasionally working at Christian Hospital Northeast whenever needed, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kathleen, her boyfriend (Jeremy) and Jack Russell (Maggie) live in the Central West End and love eating, drinking and playing through the city. She especially loves to spend her free time biking (road and mountain biking), golfing (poorly), going to concerts and having get-togethers with friends and family. She's never met a party she didn't want to host! Fun fact: even though she grew up in California, she only cheers for Michigan sports since her parents are both Michiganders. Go Blue!!

Kathleen was named the Q3 2020 APP of the Quarter because she is an excellent team player and a creative problem-solver who is dedicated to delivering high-quality patient care.

Medical School: Indiana University

Residency: WashU Medicine

Medical School: Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine