May 2023
George Koch, Chief Resident
Thanks for meeting with me on a weeknight! How does it feel to be graduating in two months?
It’s good! I can’t remember who told me, a former resident from here probably, that at a certain point you feel like you’re ready to go. Then Dr. Luckenbaugh told me the last three months are really nostalgic and every year it’s “this is the last time I’ll do this and the last time I’ll do that” and I think I am there. I’m going to miss everyone a lot.
What do you think you’ll miss the most? Do you have any favorite memories?
It’s sad to say it’s going to be my job, but it’s really the people that I met at my job. The people I am thinking of, like all the people that you’re an intern with right now, end up becoming such close friends. Tomorrow I’m going to a Nashville SC game with the rest of my class, Thursday I am babysitting for one of the ENT chiefs, there’s so many people here that I’ve met originally through work that are now like family. The food here is great, the drinks are great but it’s one hundred percent the people that I’ll miss. It’s hard to think of just one favorite memory because I have so many. I have one with every one of you and every co-resident that I have had. I don’t know if I could think of a favorite.
Have you figured out yet where you’ll be living when you move to Seattle for fellowship? I heard you plan on driving. How do you think your dog will do?
I have not figured out where I am going to live yet… You and I need to sit down and you need to help me with that because every time I talk to Drs. Johnsen, Penson, or Hsi, they’re all wonderful and have all worked at UW, but they end up naming every neighborhood in Seattle and thus I still haven’t really looked yet so I need to figure that out. I’m definitely driving. My car will just be out of the shop when it’s time to drive so it’s the perfect time. Niels drove and has some stories about winds on the prairie so we will see, my car is pretty light. I’ll be bringing my dog, he already doesn’t pee very much because he’s the dog of a surgical resident. I’ll find some place to live, it’ll be fine *laughs nervously*.
Any words of wisdom for my class going into PGY2 year?
PGY2 year is tough. I don’t know if everyone would agree with my advice so you should maybe ask a group of people but for me, I think you have to give absolutely everything you have to the job. Some of us graduate and go straight into operating as attendings and in order to safely operate on people, do the right thing by your patient, and also do the right thing by yourself, you have to give everything you have to the job. You only get five years guaranteed to operate under other people, maybe fellowship. Try to realize before PGY5 year that you want to stay extra and do more cases and spend more time with your co-residents. As much as I love our attendings, most days I stay extra to operate with my co-residents.
Are there any bucket list things you want to do before you leave?
I’ve played basketball with Dr. Barocas that was on my bucket list. I’ve never been able to get Dr. Chang there, that’s on the bucket list.
Rapid Fire Questions
TV show you are watching right now? The Office for the thousandth time
Favorite type of pizza? Either Folk or City house has a spicy sausage, pepperoni, and spicy honey pizza that’s really good. Can’t remember which place it is but I love that pizza.
Next dream vacation spot? Jess has never been to the UK and I studied abroad in London so I would really love to take her there. My second choice would be to go back to Portugal.
Favorite restaurant in Nashville? The cafeteria doesn’t count? I guess it’s kind of a restaurant but Mothers Ruin in Germantown is a bar but they have food and it’s really good. Good enough that I order take out from there all the time even though it’s bar food.
Favorite candy? Peanut M&Ms are probably my go to. There are also these candy bars called Yorkies, and the milk chocolate is not like anything you can get in the United States. I haven’t had one in like ten years but for some reason comes directly to mind.
What band you’ll listen to most on your road trip? Either Blink-182 or TOTO
Interview conducted by Delaney Orcutt, MD