guest blog
The Six Percent Club
By Dr. Susana Vargas Pinto This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Latino Surgical Society in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. For 57 years, Latino heritage has been officially recognized in the United States. What began as a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson was expanded to a month-long observance by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Hispanic Heritage Month offers an opportunity to honor the significant role the Latino community has played in shaping and strengthening our nation. Although the terms “Latino” and “Hispanic” are often used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings. “Hispanic” typically refers to people with a connection to Spain or the Spanish language, while “Latino” encompasses individuals of Latin American or Caribbean descent, regardless of their proficiency in Spanish. The term also creates space for diverse ethnic and ancestral backgrounds, including those of European descent, to be acknowledged within...
What Transition Taught Me About Gender, Power, and Medicine
By Jailyn Avila, MD, FP-AEMUS, RDMS One afternoon, when I was a young attending at a large academic center, I was paged to the trauma bay to receive a patient in traumatic shock. Our team of 10-15 multidisciplinary medical professionals assembled in the trauma room as the medics wheeled our patient in, solely focused on saving the patient's life. Immediately after the medics brought the patient into our trauma area, my senior resident asked for the patient's history, after which the medic paused and stated, “You have really pretty hair.” My senior resident then politely asked the medic to continue their report, ignoring the inappropriate and unprofessional comment. After stabilization and disposition, I attempted to locate the man who had been so inappropriate with my resident, but his team had already departed. I circled back with my resident, who acknowledged the experience and how inappropriate it was, but she informed...
Beyond the Banners: The Quiet Cost of Pride
by Anthony Tannous, MD, FACS This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies in celebration of Pride Month. June bursts forth in a riot of color, a seemingly utopian vision of equality and dignity, often accompanied by a healthy dose of corporate branding. Around the Western world, joyful — and perhaps slightly inebriated — celebrants reclaim public spaces, belting pop anthems and radiating pure, unadulterated queer joy. This year, however, the glitter feels heavier, the music a little more poignant. The comfort and acceptance we’ve come to expect are under strategic, relentless attack. Bigotry has shed its hood and robe for tailored suits and eloquent speeches. It occupies podiums, commands microphones, and infiltrates mainstream podcasts. They begin, as always, with the most vulnerable: our trans siblings. But history, that unsparing teacher, reminds us that the target will inevitably widen to...
To Come Out (Again) or Not? A Surgeon’s Reflections on Identity in the Workplace
This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies in celebration of Pride Month.By Dr. Kayleigh M. Herrick-Reynolds As I am speed-rounding to get to the OR on time, my patient catches a glimpse of my wedding ring and asks, “Is your husband a doctor too?” This question—a genuine interest in my life and a plea for the normalcy of casual conversation as I wake them at 6:00 a.m—is also just the first of many times that day I will have to choose how to answer.Surgical training requires intense focus, commitment, resilience, and sacrifice. For anyone who does not fit the stereotype of “surgeon” or who holds a non-traditional identity, the mental choreography of deciding how much of ourselves to share in the workplace adds a layer of stress to an already high-stakes job. Particularly as a trainee, the rigid hierarchy...
Two Worlds, One Marriage: The Reality of Being an Asian Female Doctor with a Non-Medical Husband
By Ching Man Carmen Tong, DO This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month. When I was asked to contribute an article for the AWS blog during AAPI month, I thought to myself– what possible musings can I offer to the readers that could be enlightening and potentially useful? Then I realized– I’m not only an Asian woman, and a doctor, but I’m an Asian female doctor married to a white male who works outside the medical profession. It is an experience full of nuance, complexity, and mutual understanding. To understand our journey and marriage, it is important for me to describe just how different my husband, Brett, and I are. Not only do we come from different cultural backgrounds - I’m Chinese and he’s Irish and Spanish - but...
Finding Joy in Food and Culture During Residency
By Dr. Victoria Prete This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’ is a sentiment commonly attributed to Hippocrates and often preached in medicine, but rarely followed by residents and fellows. The stress of training, combined with limited time and access to quality food, makes prioritizing delicious meals difficult if not impossible. Like most first- and second-generation Asian-Americans, much of my life revolves around sharing food as part of a community. While I sacrifice much of myself to training, I hold onto my love of food and this link to my heritage. Food plays a pivotal role in Asian culture, serving as more than sustenance for the body; food provides a means of replenishing the soul. Throughout my life, my mother...
Breaking Barriers: Women in Cardiac Surgery
This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. By Dr. Hina Inam "Women cannot be cardiac surgeons. We have bets on when you will leave." These were the words of an attending, said just a few days after I joined the Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency. I was stepping into a field where women were a rare sight, and the expectation was clear—I would not last. But I was determined to prove them wrong. I worked hard, showed what I was made of, and ultimately became the first female cardiac surgeon to graduate from my institute. It wasn’t just about proving myself; it was about paving the way for those who would follow. Since then, the landscape has started to shift. Dr. Sara Iqbal became the second female cardiac surgeon to graduate from...
Finding Balance in the Midst of Threats and Chaos: A Journey of Self-Care, Passion, and Community
by Dr. Carla Pugh, Past-President of The Society of Black Academic Surgeons In today’s climate, where social issues often leave us feeling drained, maintaining a sense of balance can be a challenge. When asked how the current climate is affecting them, a few SBAS leaders shared their thoughts. Dr. Carla Pugh, Past-President of SBAS started the conversation by noting that self-care is a must and invited her fellow SBAS colleagues to share a few examples. Dr. Adrienne Cobb shared her deep love for plants, particularly her two Monstera deliciosa. Caring for her plants in Wisconsin's tough climate requires patience and strategic effort, which Adrienne has mastered. Her enthusiasm for plant care not only connects her to nature but also provides a calming space in her life. It’s clear that nurturing something to grow brings a sense of fulfillment and peace. “Taking care of my plants has become a meditation of...
Let it go!
By: Dr. Shruti Venkitachalam, Head and Neck Surgeon, Chennai, India It was an early morning surgery. I was the second assistant, retracting for a neck dissection. After almost three hours of retracting, I asked if I could get a five-minute break. The prompt reply was, “Why? Are you pregnant?" I was appalled and embarrassed. The others in the OR giggled. It made me cringe. He didn’t pause to think before saying that, and I was embarrassed - not him! Since completing my fellowship training, I have worked with only male superiors in different hospitals. I saw them as ‘surgeons’ and not as ‘male surgeons’ – until certain situations forced me to look at them that way. Years passed and faces changed but the story remains about several ‘hims’ and me. One morning, ‘he’ gave me several tasks to do. I scrambled to finish them but was late for the clinic....
Cultivating Self-Compassion
By Laura Roe StevensBrought to you by our partners at Canyon Ranch Ever wonder how some people seem to sail through tough times, while others struggle for years? Experts say one key to a person’s strength and resilience is something rarely spoken of: a dose of self-compassion. “Self-compassion is a way of relating to ourselves in times of suffering that enables increased kindness and decreased self-judgment,” says Jaimie Mudd, MDiv, MC, PCC, spiritual wellness provider at Canyon Ranch. “When we’re able to be kind to ourselves and lighten up on self-criticism, it allows each of us to be honest without being harsh. We can have our unique experience, while also connecting to the larger human experience of loss, failure, pain, and healing,” she says. Jaimie’s advice is not solely based on her training and education. It’s deeply rooted in experience and recent losses. “This year I have experienced profound loss...
