Ever since I was a young child I knew I wanted to become a doctor. The field of Pathology was a clear choice for my specialty because Pathologists have to know a little about everything and that is what I love about it. You are a consultant for all other physicians by answering their questions and giving recommendations for testing which indirectly has a large impact on patient care.
I was fortunate enough to complete the majority of my medical training in South Dakota. I received a good background in general Pathology before doing a fellowship in Hematopathology because it is such a progressive subspecialty requiring many different and new ancillary tests to confirm a diagnosis. I especially enjoy flow cytometry, which is quickly becoming a standard test to help diagnose various types of lymphoma and leukemia. I believe in working hard and being accurate with every case I interpret. Each slide represents a patient and the diagnosis I make can have an enormous impact on their future. The correct diagnosis helps other physicians make good clinical decisions for their patients.
The field of pathology is very broad and we are so lucky here at the Clinical Laboratory of the Black Hills to have pathologists with expertise in the major subspecialty areas in our field. Working, as a team is better than working alone, especially on difficult and unique cases to get the diagnosis correct. I grew up in South Dakota and love the people and the area. It is a wonderful place to raise a family. My hobbies include cooking, walking, sports, and playing with my children.