This month I have been in the Cardiac Surgery Room at LAC-USC and sharing the rotation with me is the coolest MD resident AJ Vaca. We all just call him Angel or Eeyore which ever comes to mind first but mostly we just call him AJ.

The rotation with him here at LAC-USC has really been a great experience. AJ has been terrific to work with and our time together has been of great benefit to me. I just keep him laughing at my clumsiness so he is entertained and is getting something out of this too.

AJ and David at the LAC-USC Anesthesia Office after giving report to the Chief.

The great thing about AJ is his humility. One thing I have learned in the process of anesthesia training and working with the MD residents is that we are all in training together and that humility is one of the great survival traits. It’s wonderful to know the book and to be able to put those principles into practice but even better to be able to learn from all of those around – even when they see things differently than you do.

How do I say this with political correctness? In the process of training it is possible to run into some of the more experienced practitioners that have seen much more and paying attention to ‘their’ wisdom is always a good thing. Sometimes that wisdom for me comes in doing other than what is explained but for the most part keeping an open mind and being receptive to input from experience has been very helpful in my anesthesia training. AJ is really good at this. He calls everyone, “Sir” no matter who they are and always takes the humble position. I have really enjoyed working with Eeyore, which is what everyone calls AJ.

Eeyore in the Cardiac Surgery Rotation