My mothers family owned a funeral home, and my mother worked in the lab of the major hospital in our hometown, so I had early exposure to hospitals and anatomy. However, I did not want to be involved in the post-mortem side of things and decided I would best serve people by helping cure disease and prevent death instead. I believe in a highly patient involved approach. The patient should be part of their own care team and understand all of their options to be able to make an informed decision regarding their health and well-being. I am willing to take the extra time to explain concepts and procedures if it means that the patient will feel more at ease and more informed about their care decisions. I am particularly interested in robotics (mostly for hernia repairs and colonic surgery) and breast surgery. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and learning about other cultures. I have a passion for learning languages and have a minor in German. I also enjoy watching musicals, playing the guitar or saxophone, and cooking.