Audrey Wassef, MD

Hometown: Houston, TX

Undergraduate: Rice University

Medical School: Baylor University

Interests: Restaurants, breweries, hanging out with my husband and my cat, pretending to golf

I chose orthopedics because OR days feel like you are just hanging out with your friends. Clinic days are full of grateful patients. I also enjoy that rather than being a jack of all trades for medicine, we can just be the masters of one.

UNM Ortho has great teachers. From the residents the years above me to each and every attending, my teachers over the last five years have been patient, empathetic, and encouraging. Each attending tries to get to know you as a person and a learner. There's an unbelievably good culture compared to almost anywhere else. The residents are close and take care of each other, the attendings care about you as a person first and a surgeon second.

As a sub-intern I remember a 4^th of July party for the whole department. Everyone (attendings, residents, office staff) brought their kids and spouses and it was the most wholesome thing I saw as a student.