Providence Health Sonoma County urologic surgeon wins Forty under 40 award
Responsibilities with your company: Urologic Surgeon - clinical and surgical duties including trauma, oncology and benign disease processes. Call duties universally accepting and treating all emergent patients throughout the North Bay. Board member (youngest) - over 350 member group and 1 of 10 board members to keep the medical group running (peer elected); Finance committee member - Voting member working towards the overall financial health of the group with my specific focus on retirement and HSA accounts; Robotic Surgery Committee member- improve the program of robotic surgery; St. Joseph Peer Review Committee member - I review colleague cases with poor outcomes for root cause analysis and prevention in the future.
In 25 words or less, how do you exemplify the spirit of being a top Forty under 40 professional?
I chose to join a community hospital in order to serve the least fortunate portion of the population in their time of greatest need. I have been honored to have been elected by my fellow physicians to help lead them on the board of the medical group.
I hope my combination of dedication to the community, and all those with urologic illness in the North Bay along with my drive to propel my fellow physicians towards similar goals can earn me a spot in the 40 under 40.
Years with company: 2
Length of time in current position: 2
Number of companywide employees: 350
Number who report to you: 0
Greatest professional accomplishment: I was honored to be the salutatorian of my medical school class and ecstatic to find out I scored the top score on the medical boards. Despite these, my greatest accomplishment is still every Thursday afternoon when I get to send my patients home from the hospital after Wednesday surgeries now cancer free.
Greatest professional challenge: The greatest challenge is always the scarcity of resources. Nothing exemplifies that challenge more than the week long mission I organized and executed to Milot, Haiti for urologic surgery.
There my team performed over 50 surgeries in seven days on the local population. While there I performed what I believe is the first laparoscopic kidney removal in the country. The lessons from medical mission trips are invaluable as they are a master class in efficiency and out of the box thinking.
Best advice received: If you don't take a temperature, you can't find a fever.
Single most important event in your professional life in the last 12 months: Being elected to the board of my medical group placed an incredible new set of challenges and responsibilities that I hope to continue to expand. I dedicated the last decade of my life to learning to become a surgeon and the chance to now use a different set of skills in a managerial role has greatly impacted my nightly reading list.
What’s the biggest change COVID-19, the restrictions and the economic impact has had on your work and personal life?
As a urologic surgeon, many of my elective surgeries have been delayed for months as we prioritize hospital resources.
With my extra time I have been able to volunteer for the respiratory clinic testing to potential COVID positive patients and at the vaccination clinic to give out vaccine. Personally, I now have to shower at least twice a day!
And what’s the biggest lesson you’ve taken from that experience?
People are more generous, more inspiring and more resilient than I ever thought possible. I have watched my colleagues in the cold, in the rain still testing patients and still giving out vaccines. They are inspiring.
What steps is your company taking to sustain your organization and morale in the current economy?
We started with gathering formation. There has been company-wide surveys throughout in order to gauge our physicians for signs of fatigue / burnout. As the disease ebbs and flows we have a variety of workshops, mental health services and open forums to help discuss these times.
Next professional goal: I would like to foster a relationship between the hospital I have worked at in Haiti and here in Santa Rosa in hopes that resources and lessons could be shared between the two.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering - Cornell University; Medical doctorate - Florida International University; Internship in general surgery - Washington University in St. Louis; Residency in urologic surgery including chief residency - Washington University in St. Louis
Hometown: Melbourne, FL
Community/nonprofit activities: Grand Rounds speaker at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital; Speaker at UCSF Urologic Surgery Conference; Medical mission trip to Milot, Haiti; Sling Health St. Louis keynote speaker for history of starting biotechnology company Laproknot
Mentor/admired businessperson: Dr. James R Palleschi a community staple in Santa Rosa who has served this community for more than 40 years and touched the lives of countless patients.
What is your most disliked industry buzzword?
'Evidence Based' - most often used when there is not evidence to base something on.
Typical day at the office: Round on patients at the hospital at 6:30, start surgery at 7:30, be done in the operating rooms by noon for a meeting till 1:30 and then see patients in clinic until 4.
In a business sense, what is the greatest thing about being under 40; and then what is the worst?
Best - I feel like I have the time to work towards goals that may be 20 years before they are possible. Worst - People confuse my excitement for something with naivety.
Best place to work outside of your office: In the operating room. I'd move in if they let me.
Hobbies: Triathlons (I do one annually); wood working (in the last year built a deck, picnic table and swing set); Billiards.
What you wanted to be when you grew up: Astronaut
#1 thing you want to accomplish by the time you turn 40: Learn to ski! As a native Floridian, the largest hill i grew up with was the garbage dump!
First job: Pharmacy technician at 16 years old
Social media you most use: Facebook
Favorite book: “Catch 22” - Joseph Heller
Favorite movie: “Ocean's 11”
Favorite App: ESPN
Favorite after-work drink: Old Fashioned
Last vacation: Oslo, Norway to see relatives
What does your mom or dad brag most about you?
'You make great kids' - My mother's response when I just asked her.
