Education

Ask the Residents: What Do You Do in Your Free Time?

By William •

Residents in the Department of Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are part of an academic program with diverse surgical training, strong research opportunities and mentors who are national leaders in their fields.

With residency programs in General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Urology and Vascular Surgery, residents in every specialty have access to world-class training. What makes each of these programs truly special is the community and camaraderie.

Choosing a residency program is an important decision—one that determines where a person will spend the next five or more years of their life training to become a surgeon. Residents at the School of Medicine are eager to help facilitate that decision by answering some of the most frequently asked questions about the residency programs in the Department of Surgery. One rare but highly valuable commodity for busy residents is free time. Surgery residents share their hobbies, interests and favorite ways to pass the time when they are not in the OR.

Tiffany Brocke

General Surgery PGY-1

Tiffany Brocke says, "I read and knit, and I love public spaces - state parks, art museums, botanical gardens."

Will Gerull

General Surgery PGY-1

Will Gerull says, "I like baking and reading. Also, enjoying Forest Park (bigger than Central Park!) right down the street. It has incredible trails, an outdoor theatre and plenty of places for a great picnic."

Britta Han

General Surgery Lab Resident

Britta Han says, "Reading a lot of books, finding new coffee shops, going on walks in one of the many parks around the city (including Forest Park, of course!), and spending a lot of time with my dog."

Grant Henning

Urology PGY-3

Grant Henning says, "I love going out to eat, cooking big meals, going to sporting events, playing sports and just being outside. Really, anything I can do with a good group of friends."

Anna Rose Johnson

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery PGY-1

Anna Rose Johnson says, "I enjoy running and biking in Forest Park! Also, my co-residents are amazing friends. They organized a surprise birthday party for me during my third week of intern year!"

Laura Lee

Urology PGY-3

Laura Lee says, "I am an avid knitter, love playing designer board games (Gloomhaven, Betrayal at House on the Hill, etc.), adore my Bernese Mountain Dog, and have gotten deep into the rabbit hole of cooking and baking this year."

Andrew Linkugel

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery PGY-4

Andrew Linkugel says, "Free time is a precious commodity in residency - I've come to really value spending time outside of work with my wife and co-residents/friends. I like spinning, working in the yard, getting away to the lake in the summer and watching sports."

Connor McCormick

Urology Resident PGY-1

Connor McCormick says, "Playing outside. I bought a canoe when I moved here and have done lots of trips near the city and in the north Ozarks, even a few overnight camping trips. Lots of the rivers are spring fed and they stay cool and clear, even when it's really hot."

Jorge Zarate Rodriguez

General Surgery PGY-3

Jorge Zarate Rodriguez says, "I mostly spend my time off exploring the many local restaurants, bars and breweries in town. I'm also a big fan of musical theater, and try to go to the Fox as often as I can. During the summer, Forest Park has tons of free events going on: they play classic movies on a huge screen at Art Hill and get a bunch of food trucks to park there, and the Muny puts on free musicals."

Ema Zubovic

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery PGY-4

Ema Zubovic says, "On the weekends, my husband and I enjoy visiting St. Louis's many local coffee shops. I am also an avid knitter, especially in the winter months."