Graduating fellows in the Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery at WashU Medicine have spent the past year undergoing intense surgical training with their specialty mentors.
We asked them to share their future plans, thoughts on their fellowship experience, and what they will miss most about St. Louis. Please join us in congratulating these outstanding trainees for all their accomplishments – past, present and future.
Mariel Watkins, MD
Fellow in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery
Next step?
I am very excited to be joining Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery in Bethesda, Maryland.
Highlight of your fellowship?
I am grateful for the excellent training and mentorship. Attending the preservation rhinoplasty course with Dr. Spataro and learning the preservation rhinoplasty techniques was probably the highlight of my fellowship experience.
Most important thing you learned during fellowship?
I really appreciated learning more about the comprehensive management of patients with facial plastic concerns with an emphasis on patient counseling and expectation management. And, more preservation rhinoplasty experience.
What will you miss the most about St. Louis?
I will sorely miss the pizza at Union Loafers Café and Bread Bakery and Bolyard’s burgers. St. Louis does have some good food!
Zoe Fullerton, MD
Fellow in advanced head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction
Next step?
I will be working as a head and neck oncologic/reconstructive surgeon at Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
.
Highlight of your fellowship?
The highlight of my fellowship has to be the outstanding faculty I’ve had the opportunity to train under and my wonderful co-fellow Morgan. I also loved working with the residents and watching them grow as surgeons.
Most important thing you learned during fellowship?
No optimism
What will you miss the most about St. Louis?
The food! The food! The food! I was definitely surprised by the number of quality restaurants I discovered in St. Louis.
Morgan Sandelski, MD
Fellow in advanced head and neck surgical oncology and microvascular reconstruction
Next step?
Lucky me! I am staying right here to join the faculty at WashU Medicine. I am very excited to continue working with this incredible team.
Highlight of your fellowship?
It’s really hard to pick one thing, but I really enjoyed learning to raise flaps and improve my microvascular techniques alongside my co-fellow Zoe.
Most important thing you learned during fellowship?
One of the most important things I learned during this fellowship experience was how to move through a case while preserving options for a back-up plan and the back-up to the back-up plan!
What will you miss the most about St. Louis?
I was truly surprised by the great food scene in St. Louis, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to continue exploring it.