Blue Vicryl

In June of 2009, I will have completed a 6 year residency. It is hard to believe that those years are almost at a close now. However, they are, and it is time to start planning for what comes next.

One of the men I have been the closest to during my residency has been Dr Moore. He is a colorectal surgeon who moved here shortly before I did. He and his family had moved to Chattanooga from Pennsylvania where he been in practice for a while. There are many things I respect about how he treats his patients, lives his faith, runs his practice, and relates to his family. When I think of how I would like to be as a man in 20 years, there are many things about him that I would like to emulate.

It is hard to know how much a mentoring relationship like that influences decisions we make, but I suspect it has played a very large role in my decision to pursue a colorectal fellowship after residency is complete. I am currently in the middle of that application process. I plan to do 10 interviews, most of which occur in late September and October. In November the Match occurs and I will find out where I get to spend a year doing a colorectal fellowship should I match. I am looking forward to the opportunity to meet people at the various fellowship programs as I interview.