What Drew You to Anesthesiology? 

My parents were both pediatricians. I loved medicine and wanted to be like them. I did a medical mission to Romania my first year in college — Operation Smile. And I loved the relationship between the anesthesiologist and the child. I thought, that’s something I want in my life. I graduated my residency at Boston Medical Center in 2008, and then I went on to Boston Children’s Hospital for a pediatric fellowship.

What Appealed to You About the Pediatric Side of Your Specialty?

Seeing the interaction between the kids and the anesthesiologists. It was the one person they liked the most. I realized that the anesthesiologist was the patient advocate in the room, and they saw them not just as a physician, but as a friend. I also liked doing procedures. And pediatric anesthesia is a mix of that and patient interaction.

Why Did You Join VSA?

I joined VSA because I felt, with the bigger changes I wanted to make, the only way to help more people was to join the organization. It was moving my advocacy from a small scale to a larger scale. I could effect more change. I wish I would have spent more time in the ASA [American Society of Anesthesiologists] as a resident. I wish I had been a part of it early on, because it opens your life to more experiences.

What Advice do You Offer Medical Students About Deciding on a Specialty?

I always tell them: As you rotate through the specialties, it’s easier to rule out than rule in. When I did cardiac anesthesia, I knew that was not for me. I knew I liked pediatric anesthesia. ICU was amazing, and I never envisioned that I would have enjoyed working in the critical care unit. Then I did more rotations in the things I loved to figure out what I could do for the rest of my life. Don’t close yourself off to things, and spend more time engaged.