I have always been fascinated by and appreciative of the work performed by doctors and surgeons. After years as an orthopedic “regular” with chronic ankle and hip injuries, I was curious about what was happening with these conditions medically and scientifically, and intrigued by what the clinician’s perspective was like. I had undergone two surgeries by middle school and accumulated braces, casts, bone stimulators, crutches, and more X-ray and MRI imaging in the patient portal than I ever could have imagined. My summer internship at Massachusetts General Hospital has deepened my personal interests in medicine and pediatrics and it has truly been a privilege to shadow members of the world-renowned hospital’s pediatric surgery team.
This summer I had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Cassandra Kelleher, a pediatric surgeon at MGH. Throughout my four week internship, I gained research, clinic, and operating room experience. Each day was something new and exciting and I was amazed by how a “standard” day for these surgeons, doctors, residents, and other medical professionals brought about life-changing care for their patients.
On Tuesdays, I started my day with 6:45 a.m. learning conferences. Residents would present current cases, outlining the patient’s history and care. The surgeons used each case as a learning opportunity for the residents, evaluating which of the many possible causes/outcomes and treatment plans would best help improve care for future patients. Dr. Kelleher also attended morbidity & mortality conferences, which are also critical for future care. During conferences, I observed the focus and intensity that comes with learning so much about so many medical conditions/injuries, the camaraderie involved in learning about patient care, and the dedication and knowledge of the experienced surgeons at a teaching hospital like MGH.
I was also fortunate to have a window into the research side of medicine during this internship. I observed Dr. Kelleher’s lab meetings over Zoom on Tuesday afternoons with senior resident Dr. Alyssa Stetson and M.P.H./Ph.D Dr. David Chang. Dr. Kelleher, Dr. Stetson, and Dr. Chang are currently leading research studies on improving gender equity in medicine, addressing issues causing medical professionals to leave the field, assessing non-English speaking patients in the emergency department, and more. I was amazed by the amount of work and communication that went into collecting, organizing, and analyzing data to generate meaningful results, as well as applying for grants using effective language. Dr. Kelleher also taught me how to read and evaluate medical literature, another powerful tool when conducting research studies and gathering knowledge to treat patients. I read several trauma articles and analyzed each part with Dr. Kelleher and learned that when writing or conducting research, it is crucial to start with a thorough review of the current literature, formulate a specific hypothesis, gather and organize data, and then draw a strong conclusion. Overall I learned that medical research can be extremely valuable for developing treatment plans and addressing greater social issues.
On Wednesdays, Dr. Kelleher spent her day in the clinic seeing many patients. Some of these patients were children she had seen for years, and others were new faces she only had a few notes on going into the appointment. While some patients were only weeks old, others were over twenty years old. But with every appointment, she took the time and effort to connect with each patient and their parents. Her patience and gentle demeanor demonstrated how much she cared about each family, making sure both patients and caregivers understood and felt comfortable with their treatment.
Dr. Kelleher saw a variety of cases each day, ranging from gastrointestinal conditions, to infections and cysts, to Hirschprung’s disease (when nerve cells are missing in the large intestine, and a child's intestine becomes blocked), to diaphragmatic hernias, and much more. I was amazed by her ability to assemble information and solve a problem quickly and effectively based on patient feedback, imaging results, and her own knowledge and expertise. I also had the opportunity to shadow her fellow pediatric surgeons Dr. Allan Goldstein and Dr. David Lawlor in an effort to expose me to more and different cases when Dr. Kelleher attended meetings or had gaps in her schedule. Before each clinic appointment, the doctors gave me some background and showed me imaging to help me understand their diagnosis and treatment plan; I was incredibly grateful for this as they were very busy seeing patient after patient, yet they still took the time to explain things to me and answer my questions. The teaching and learning environment at MGH is truly impressive and I was so fortunate to be part of such a terrific team of medical professionals.
On Thursdays, I was with Dr. Kelleher and senior resident Dr. Jessica Mueller in the operating room. The first surgery I shadowed was a patient with a pectus excavatum, or caved-in breastbone, which they lifted by placing a metal bar across the patient’s chest. During this surgery, Dr. Kelleher gave me a “tour” of the upper body, using her scope to show me the lungs, heart, and trachea. I watched them deflate and inflate the patient’s lungs, which was like watching cake rise. Shortly after this almost four-hour surgery, Dr. Kelleher prepared for the second surgery of the day which involved removing a 22-centimeter, football-sized ovarian cyst. In both cases immediately following the surgeries I also accompanied Dr. Kelleher to inform the parents about how the surgery went and to answer their questions and provide comfort. Again I was amazed that a typical few hours on a Thursday for Dr. Kelleher resulted in a life-changing surgery for a patient. I shadowed many surgeries throughout my internship and began to understand the routines of prepping the patient, scrubbing in, timeout, and more, as well as just how many trained professionals were in the operating room to make a surgery happen successfully. I saw hernia repairs, cyst removals, gastrostomy tube placements, site closures, and more. I had the opportunity to shadow pedi-orthopedic surgeon Dr. Maurice Albright in a distraction osteogenesis, or leg lengthening procedure. While Dr. Kelleher was Surgeon of the Week, she was called to help vascular surgeon Dr. Abe Mohapatra repair an artery from a teenage gunshot wound, which I was fortunate to watch. On my last day, I watched Dr. Kelleher perform a four-part surgery on a two-day-old, nine-week premature, three-pound baby, involving a duodenal atresia, colostomy, gastrostomy tube insertion, and central line placement. All of these procedures were extremely fascinating to observe.
During one surgery, Dr. Masiakos, another pediatric surgeon who was operating with Dr. Kelleher, asked me, “Do you dance?” I responded with “No, I’m a hockey player…” unsure of where the conversation was going. He replied, “Well, surgery is like dancing. Dr. Kelleher and I dance well together.” As I have reflected on this, I can now appreciate the concept of surgery involving careful coordination, teamwork, grace, focus, chemistry, and art, much like dancers performing. The doctors and residents I have shadowed at MGH all “dance” well together to deliver the best possible care to each unique patient. These surgeons and medical professionals are extremely talented and hardworking experts, but beyond all else, they are some of the most caring and dedicated people I have met.
Each morning and throughout the day, whether in between lab meetings, clinic appointments, or operations, Dr. Kelleher would “round,” checking on her inpatients and evaluating their current condition, delivering care accordingly. During my last week, Dr. Kelleher was the Surgeon of the Week, so she was responsible for checking on any new inpatients in the morning for rounds on top of her regular caseload of patients. Most of these were trauma patients, including car accident victims, gunshot wounds, and more.
I am beyond grateful for my experience at MGH based on all that I learned and the positive environment I walked into as an intern. Everyone at MGH was incredibly welcoming and went out of their way to ensure I had the best experience. The experience of shadowing Dr. Kelleher was truly fascinating, whether by seeing her work in the OR with precision, focus, stamina, and expertise or by observing the way she so naturally and powerfully connected with her patients. In addition to participating in surgeries, meetings, and conference calls, I was also fortunate to have hours of conversation during which time Dr. Kelleher shared invaluable lessons and information about her experiences, reflections, dreams, and more. She taught me what it means to truly love one’s job and that when you are deeply passionate about something, you can do amazing things that make a huge and positive impact. I am so grateful to Dr. Kelleher and the entire pediatric surgery team at Mass General for Children. Thank you also to Mr. Schlenker for providing me with this very meaningful and life-changing experience.
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