What do you like about living in Rochester, Minnesota?

"Overall, it is an easy city to live in and is a good place to do residency. The cost of living is low, housing is plentiful, and traffic is non-existent. The winters here are long, but bearable if you are well-prepared, and it is beautiful in the spring/summer/fall. There is enough going on here to keep you busy outside of work, and the Twin Cities are not far away if you are looking for more of a big city feel."

When selecting your career path, how did you come to decide on vascular surgery?

"The ability to form long-term relationships with patients drew me to vascular surgery, as well as the broad scope of practice in terms of anatomy, pathology, and the modalities we use to treat these issues. Our patients are typically very sick and their problems are often complex (especially here at Mayo Clinic), and the ability to provide compassionate, comprehensive care to these patients and their families is extremely fulfilling."  

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

"In 10 years, I see myself as a busy academic vascular surgeon. I want to have a complex open and endovascular practice delivering the highest level of care I can and continuing to refine the skills I learned during my training. I would also love to continue producing high quality clinical research and training my own residents and fellows."

What drew you to Mayo Clinic for your residency training?

"Mayo Clinic offers a unique apprenticeship model in which trainees are given the chance to work with a single consultant for an extended period of time. I was drawn to this model, because it allows you to develop an understanding of clinical decision-making and to see a variety of technical approaches in the operating room. In this program, you are truly immersed from day one."