Following residency and fellowship graduations, 121 Dell Med and Ascension Seton trainees are off to the next step in their medical careers.
Some of these graduates will continue their training through a fellowship in a subspecialty while others will begin their careers as fully independent attending physicians. Regardless of what career plans lie ahead, their impact throughout Austin is lasting: In the last academic year, residents and fellows provided nearly 900,000 hours of care to patients across Central Texas.
“The words that come to mind when I think of this class of graduating residents and fellows are adaptability, resourcefulness and teamwork,” says Jonathan MacClements, M.D., senior associate dean and designated institutional official of graduate medical education. “It’s no question these trainees have faced several challenges throughout the past three years or more. Their flexibility in these situations and desire to work together will undoubtedly serve them well as they shape the future of medicine in their ongoing careers.”
Who are the graduates and where are they headed next? Meet the newest …
Mary Bokenkamp, M.D.
Residency: General Surgery
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Achievements
- Chief resident of the General Surgery Residency
- United States Navy Medical Corps Lieutenant
- Completion of a trauma surgery and critical care research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital
- Member of the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies
An impactful moment:
The most impactful moments for me have been taking care of trauma patients from the moment they arrive in the trauma bay, through their admission and continuing with follow-up in clinic. This course is often full of ups and downs and seeing the resilience these patients have is inspiring.
If I could go back:
I would tell the first-, second- and third-year versions of myself to be less afraid of making mistakes and to ask more questions. In hindsight, I see how formative those years were, and I now realize no one expected perfection.
Next steps:
I will be fulfilling my duties with the United States Navy as a general surgeon with the 3D Medical Battalion in Okinawa, Japan.
Angela Guerra, M.D.
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Dell Medical School
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Achievements
- Taught and presented monthly lectures and simulations for emergency medicine residents
- Volunteered in simulations and procedure labs for pediatric residents and medical students
An impactful moment:
A very sick, medically complex child came in with difficulty breathing and poor vital signs, and we had concerns about sepsis. We were actively resuscitating her and needed to intubate her due to her poor breathing. I was the fellow at the head of the bed and in charge of this procedure. I was able to intubate her without any issues despite her unstable status. Our pediatric emergency medicine and pediatric intensive care unit attendings are in the room as well when we encounter very sick patients. Afterward, the PICU attending said she was glad I was the fellow in this case, as she had complete confidence in my abilities. Hearing this come from someone outside of my department was a confidence booster that I have what it takes to take care of really sick kids.
Thanks to Dell Med and Ascension Seton:
I have met so many amazing people and learned from the most intelligent and compassionate doctors. As an emergency medicine physician, I wanted to see anything and everything — from the most benign to the most complex and complicated. I was able to see all that and more during my training, which makes me feel confident practicing in the community.
Next steps:
I signed a contract to work and stay in Austin. I will get to work within the community while still teaching residents and fellows here at Dell Med. Having that mix was important to me in my career.
Eustace Joseph, M.D.
Residency: Emergency Medicine
Medical School: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Achievements
- Chief resident of the Emergency Medicine Residency
- Leadership of a physical therapy pilot program in the emergency department
- Representative council member of the Emergency Medicine Residents Association
A great accomplishment:
Early in my second year, I was involved in a perimortem cesarean section (delivering a child in order to improve the chance of resuscitating the mother) while on my emergency medical service rotation working with Starflight. While the images of that specific clinical setting will never be forgotten, neither will the efforts, cohesiveness and resilience displayed by the nurses, paramedics and fellow providers in that resuscitation room.
The clinical outcome was not the one we wanted, but I consider it an accomplishment to have been able to gain courage, fortitude and humility in that moment. It is a privilege to do what we do, working alongside incredibly skilled colleagues who inspire me every day.
One thing I’ve learned over the past few years is that even in the face of negative outcomes, there is always a lesson to be learned and an opportunity for growth that can significantly benefit the care of future patients.
If I could go back:
I would tell myself to give myself grace and trust the process, that I won’t become a great clinician overnight and I will make mistakes. Failure is the only way to become the best version of yourself.
Next steps:
I am headed up the road to work for Baylor Scott & White in Dallas-Fort Worth and Waco.
Chase Romere, M.D.
Residency: Orthopaedic Surgery
Medical School: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Achievements
- Represented Dell Med at the American Orthopaedic Association’s C. McCollister Evarts Resident Leadership Forum
- Worked alongside local orthopaedic surgeons and brigades of orthopaedic mission teams from around the world in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with One World Surgery medical missions
- Attended surgical mission trips to Guatemala City, Guatemala, with Operation KidDocs
An impactful moment:
I’ll never forget my first day on my orthopaedic oncology rotation. The very first patient we saw was a young girl who had been admitted to the hospital for hip pain after dance class. When imaging was done, it was apparent that she had a large osteosarcoma growing on her femur. She was going to lose her entire leg.
It was incredible to watch one of my mentors, Ronald Williams, M.D., Ph.D., navigate the conversation with this sweet girl and her family. He was direct and honest about the prognosis but was still able to provide comfort and encouragement that we would all get through this together as a team. I’ll carry that interaction with me throughout my career.
A great accomplishment:
My greatest accomplishment as a resident was that even while working crazy hours, I still managed to meet, woo and eventually marry my now husband, Sam.
Next steps:
This fall I’m headed to the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado, to complete a fellowship in foot and ankle surgery. Afterward, I’m heading back to Austin to work with Texas Orthopedics.
Rachel Zimmerman, M.D.
Residency: Family Medicine
Medical School: UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine
An impactful moment:
I had a patient present in clinic with fatigue, frequent urination and increased thirst — all classic symptoms of elevated blood sugar. We found him to have very progressed diabetes and initiated insulin treatment that day. There was a lot of education that needed to be provided regarding this new diagnosis, medication management and the complications of diabetes.
He was motivated to make changes in his health, and with time and the support of a multidisciplinary team, we were able to reduce his insulin requirements and transition to just oral meds. His quality of life and overall health significantly improved. It’s been a privilege to work with many patients like this in navigating through their respective health journeys.
If I could go back:
I would tell myself to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Intern year is a steep learning curve, and every month is a completely different rotation, but learning how to be flexible and constantly switch gears has been so helpful in handling the breadth of family medicine.
Next steps:
I will be staying in Austin working as a primary care physician at CommUnityCare Health Centers’ Sandra Joy Anderson Community Health and Wellness Center.
Graduate medical education, or GME, refers to the period of education in a particular specialty or subspecialty following completion of medical school. This continuation of training through residency and fellowship programs provides the clinical and educational experience needed for physicians to achieve autonomy, deliver high-quality patient care, and prepare for challenges in an evolving health care landscape.
Dell Med, in partnership with Ascension Seton, is home to 480 resident and fellow physicians and sponsors more than 40 residency and fellowship programs ranging from family medicine and neurology to pediatric emergency medicine and cardiovascular disease.