Spotlight: Surgeon Wellness
As a surgeon, prioritizing wellness is critical to preventing burnout and relieving stress! The Wellness Committee has launched this project to highlight how ASTS members focus on self-care!
Leigh Anne Dageforde, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School
What media are you consuming?
Podcasts:
- The Best One Yet, which is a pop-biz podcast
Newsletters/Substack
- ParentData by Emily Oster, which is about data-driven parenting
What are you passionate about other than transplantation?
I love being a mom! I love it more than I ever imagined! I also love all things outdoors as a family with our family dog, a vizsla named Corbet. I love to run - my husband and I met through a running group and we just finished the Chicago Marathon
together (we've both done many but never a marathon together start to finish!). We also love to travel and do adventurous things outside when we travel.
How does this activity help you achieve balance and prevent burnout?
We often go on family runs/walks/hikes/go to the dog beach. Everyone goes: my husband, me, our baby, and dog! Being outside brings me some peace and helps me unplug.
What is your advice for people considering transplantation?
There are so many different ways to be a transplant surgeon and structure a career in a way that allows it to fit in with your life. Make sure to investigate all the options! Also, the field has great opportunities in so many areas beyond the clinical/operative
work. There’s also research, policy, economics, innovation, ethics, equity, and so much more.
How does your passion help improve your professional abilities/life?
I go outside with my family. If I'm totally off I try to leave my phones (especially the work phone) behind so I can recharge.
Follow Dr. Dageforde on X @la_dageforde
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