I am a critical care anesthesiologist interested in improving healthcare communication. 

I consider myself to have at least nine jobs (in alphabetical order):

  1. *Mom and partner-in-crime

  2. Administrator

  3. Anesthesiologist

  4. Intensivist

  5. Mentor

  6. Researcher

  7. Teacher

  8. University citizen

  9. Writer

1. *Mom:

I am the proud mother of two girls. Let's call them Tsunami and Bear. And I wouldn't be able to do anything without my husband, my partner in crime.

2. Administrator

I’m a vice chair of inclusion, diversity, and equity, which gives me a seat at the leadership table. It’s a responsibility I take very seriously.

3. Anesthesiologist:

I am board certified in anesthesia. I take care of patients undergoing mostly general surgery. I still marvel at anesthesia, especially epidurals.

4. Intensivist:

I am board certified in critical care medicine. As part of a multidisciplinary team, I take care of patients on life support, and help their families cope with sometimes devastating illness.

5. Mentor:

I work with an intrepid group of undergrads, medical students, residents, and fellows, all of whom are interested in research that improves patient care and patient outcomes.

6. Researcher:

I research teamwork, communication, and implementation science in acute care. I am particularly interested in handoffs, which are transitions in care during which errors are more likely to happen. I tend to use mixed methods, a blend of quantitative and qualitative techniques that have more explanatory power than either approach in isolation.

7. Teacher:

I teach medical students, residents and fellows about anesthesia and critical care. I try to emphasize the importance of compassion, respect, inter-professional practice and the skeptical use of scientific evidence. In the classroom, I teach graduate students about implementation science, the discipline concerned with improving the uptake of evidence-based practice.

8. University citizen:

I love being a part of the academy. I am a part of several interdisciplinary institutes and centers that bring together scholars of different disciplines to answer important questions. I am also a member of committees concerned with equity, inclusion, and academic freedom.

9. Writer:

I've been writing since college. Whether it's scholarly manuscripts, tongue in cheek op-eds, or perspectives on my experiences in medicine, I consider writing to be a vital way to connect with others.

ME TALKING:

In December 2012, then-Penn undergrad Deelan Ayhan interviewed me about my experiences with patient care and medical training. I'm including excerpts of this interview below.

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