4th Annual Fellows Retreat Takes Surgeons to New Heights
September 10, 2024
Deep in the embrace of the Santa Cruz Mountains, three surgical fellows balanced on wooden “rungs” suspended between giant redwoods.
"As soon as I saw the plank, I knew I was going to take the jump,” said Bariatric/MIS Fellow Dr. Perisa Ruhi-Williams. “But it took me some time to build up the courage to climb up there."
The fourth annual Fellows' Balance in Life Retreat took place at Chaminade Resort and Spa on Friday, August 23rd. After a morning of ice breakers and group discussion the 20+ surgical fellows from the divisions of General Surgery, Abdominal Transplant, Vascular, and Plastics hiked down a long trail to the high ropes course operated by Synergy Learning Systems.
“It's a novel experience that's on the more extreme end of the team-bonding spectrum, so I think it's the excitement and slight terror that entices most folks,” said Education Projects Coordinator Robyn Foote, who helped plan the event. “We also found that the course catered to the smaller group size, as it allowed all the fellows to participate in the same activity at the same time.”
After climbing the Giant’s Ladder and mastering the Balancing Act, the fellows boarded a bus to Devil's Canyon Brewery in San Carlos where they were met by partners and children for dinner.
Media Contact
Director of Communications
Bio
As the Director of Communications for Stanford Surgery, Rachel Baker tells the stories of her department's faculty, staff, and trainees.
With the help of an amazing team of content creators, she produces and curates original articles, photos, videos, graphics, and even podcasts.She works personally with each division, center, program, and lab within her purview to define their audience and reach their goals while maintaining a consistent brand voice.
She hosts quarterly professional development workshops open to all AEM web authors--please email her if you'd like to join! She also offers both 1:1 and group education to faculty and residents on a variety of topics including media training, using social media to advantage, and presentation refinement.
Rachel holds a Bachelor's degree in journalism with a focus on photography from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. A transplant from the DC-area, she still misses foliage and argyle but has happily adopted the official NorCal hobbies of visiting wineries, hiking local trails, and eating avocado.
About Stanford Surgery
The Stanford University Department of Surgery is dedicated to inventing the future of surgical care through:
• pioneering cutting-edge research,
• developing the next generation of leaders, and
• healing through incomparable surgical skills and compassion.
To learn more, please visit surgery.stanford.edu
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