Jennifer Brinkmeier, MD, recently joined the pediatric otolaryngology team at Washington University. Here she shares the motivation behind her choice of specialty and her abundance of hobbies.
Where are you from originally?
I’m originally from Saint Louis. I’m not a fan of thin-crust pizza, but I do love baseball.
Where are you joining us from?
Just a short move from Saint Louis University/Cardinal Glennon Hospital.
What most excites you about your new journey at WashU?
I’m very excited to explore new collaborations and expand the work with a simulation that I’ve done in the past. I am really looking forward to being part of such a robust, busy department.
What made you choose to specialize in otolaryngology?
I realized I loved surgery when I was working in the Vascular Surgery division of Beth Israel Deaconess after college, but I was not terribly excited about the idea of tunneling for lower extremity bypasses or amputations. It was during a first-year med school elective in otolaryngology that I met Dave Schuller, MD, and the rest of the Ohio State University ENT Faculty. That was it. The fact that the faculty and residents genuinely seemed excited to teach and enjoy working with each other helped, too.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I have so many hobbies! Some include cooking, baking, tennis, bike riding, and sewing – America’s Test Kitchen has long been a favorite. I’m also slowly picking up tennis again. I used to lead bike tours in the summers, and someday I’ll get back to long rides, but for now, it’s just mostly about getting my kids out on their own bikes.