I was a political science major in college. As I was nearing the end of my studies, I decided that I wanted to do something more "hands-on" - something in which you could see the results of your work and get true satisfaction from that. Medicine was an obvious choice because it met those criteria. When it came time to choose a specialty, I liked orthopedics. It's not so much about saving lives but making lives better. Specifically, I chose hand surgery because the level of anatomic detail is greater. Hands are key to people's sense of self and their ability to make a living and do recreational activities. I enjoy knowing that I'm taking care of such an important part of each patient's anatomy.

When you meet me, you'll see that I take my time with my patients. I will spend a lot of time listening to you and making sure that all of your questions are answered. I try to speak in plain English rather than medical terminology so as to never leave you guessing.

As a doctor, my best days are those when a patient from the past comes back to tell me how I've changed his/her life. I remember those days - the girl from Washington who was in town to become a nanny and was in a horrible roll-over accident - the police officer who was shot and needed nerve grafting - the children who are born with hand defects and I am able to give them function back. My first goal is to provide compassionate and ethical care to everyone.