About Me

I am a surgical intensivist and acute care surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The most urgent part of my job is treating patients who have suffered traumatic injuries. I also often treat conditions like biliary disease, diverticulitis and hernias, and I regularly care for surgical patients with critical illnesses.

Every day when I come into work, my goal is to provide excellent trauma care while also being mindful of the patient’s overall experience. I believe trauma care should focus not only on the physical injuries but on how the patients and their families experience them, as well.

I care deeply about each patient and they can trust me to be their advocate from the moment they arrive in the trauma bay to when they are discharged from the hospital. My patients and their families can also rely on me to be clear and transparent at all times, especially surrounding topics such as critical illness, palliative care and end-of-life care.

That mentality has been especially important throughout the pandemic. In 2021, I completed a yearlong surgical critical care fellowship with extensive training in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) specifically for patients with COVID-19 infections. I’m proud of the exceptional care my colleagues and I provided for patients and families, despite the huge challenges we faced.

My research has been focused on health care for justice-involved individuals, and I have been published in top medical journals on the ethics of health care for incarcerated patients. I’m also interested in studying how specific health care policies may contribute to structural bias against vulnerable patients.

I’m also committed to dismantling stereotypes about who can be a surgeon. During my residency program, a colleague and I started the #ILookLikeASurgeon movement. The idea was to combat bias among patients and other clinicians by showcasing women and minorities who are working as surgeons. The hashtag went viral on social media.?

Procedures and Conditions I Treat

• Hernia, Abdominal
• Diverticulitis
• Hernia
• Critical Care
• Biliary Tract Diseases
• General Surgery
• Multiple Trauma