What is your title and how long have you worked for the department?
I was hired by Oto in 1993 as a receptionist, then worked for a while as a secretary to the business manager and accounting manager. A couple years later I accepted the position of Senior Program Coordinator, a title which predates the more common Residency Coordinator title used by most clinical departments. Dr. Joel Goebel was residency director at that time. In 2014, Dr. Judy Lieu assumed that position, and I have very much enjoyed working with both.
What type of duties does your job entail?
The job duties have changed quite a bit over the years. I now, with the awesome assistance of Jana Richardson, spend most of my time collecting data on resident activities, organizing that data, and reporting it to a variety of agencies like the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Otolaryngology (ABO).
Jana and I also coordinate the resident applicant interviews and help the residents with professional memberships, book and travel funds, hospital privileges, medical licenses and letters of recommendation. Another significant effort involves the organization of the core curriculum for resident training.
Maria shows off one of her favorite resin sculptures.What do you enjoy most about coordinating our residency program?
It’s the really great people I work with – not the ever-increasing reporting requirements and never-ending deadlines – that provide me the most joy. Being able to watch our residents grow and develop into compassionate professionals and skilled surgeons is also very rewarding. Their graduation is a very special event for me.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
In my spare time I enjoy crafts and anything where I can express my creativity. That includes baking, card making, and my latest passion – resin casting. I am always trying to improve my abilities, and I enjoy identifying and exploring new talents. My family is also a great source of joy. Both the kids have moved out, so it’s really special when they come back to visit.