Name
G. Mariah Cawthon, MD
Residency Program
General Surgery
Program Year
PGY-2
Medical School
Meharry Medical College
Home
Huntsville, AL
About
Where are you from and where did you go to medical school?
I’m from Huntsville, Alabama – Roll Tide Roll! It’s funny because one of my co-residents is from Huntsville, and me and one of the anesthesiologists both attended the same school growing up. I moved to Nashville, Tennessee for medical school at Meharry Medical College.
Why did you choose General Surgery?
My background is in engineering. Surgery is similar to engineering; it follows principles that can be explained through science and critical thinking. The problem-solving skills, along with the dexterity required to master the art of operating, enthralled me as a medical student on my clinical rotations.
I loved being in the OR during my surgery rotations as a medical student. Every medical student does one core General Surgery rotation in their third year. I really enjoyed the technical and hands-on aspects – suturing, putting in laparoscopic ports and holding the laparoscopic camera. So, I did four more General Surgery electives in my fourth year of medical school. After all those surgery rotations, I knew surgery was for me. There is no other place in the hospital that I would rather be in than the OR.
What’s your favorite part of the day?
My favorite part of my day is anytime I get to be in the OR.
How do you maintain wellness here in residency?
Hiking! I am so excited to camp in and hike the Grand Canyon in a few weeks! On my weekends off, I love exploring the nearby hiking trails. My favorites so far have been Amicalola Falls and Yonah. Going to church, walking my dog, planting flowers in my garden, cycling and eating pancakes drenched in syrup after 24-hour shifts are also part of my wellness routine.
What are your hobbies?
I have always been pretty active. Outside of work, I love anything outdoors, especially hiking. I also enjoy running, cycling and HIIT workout classes. I just moved to Gainesville, but I have been to Lake Lanier a few times, and it’s so fun being out on the water.
What does a day in the life look like for you?
Depending on the rotation, the day can vary. But pretty much all surgery days start early. We can round (what we call when we check on all our admitted patients in the morning) pretty early because we have to check on them before we go to the OR, and cases start as early as 7:30 am (trauma and acute care cases can be any time because they can be more urgent/emergent and require getting into the OR sooner). Every inpatient we see must have a note written on them for the day. It can be a progress note, OR note or discharge summary. So for some rotations with a lot of patients, that can take up a big part of my day. We also do a lot of coordinating with case management to make sure patients have a safe discharge and all their care needs are met (e.g. home health, wound vac changes, infusions scheduled or home medical equipment). We also spend a lot of time answering pages– from nurses or other medical services. And then getting to operate, which we do more in some rotations than others as an intern. We also have clinic days– this is where we see patients pre- and post-operatively as well as patients that we follow long term (e.g. cancer patients).
Was this what you were expecting for intern year?
This is what I was expecting as an intern! Doing the 5 surgery rotations, gave me a window into what being a surgery intern is like! Our 4th year electives, we are actually treated as a “JI” which means we are doing a “junior” internship. So, it is a lot of practice doing intern responsibilities as a medical student.
How do you suggest interns that are arriving in June maintain wellness during residency?
The wellness committee plans a lot of fun events for residents. I met one of my best friends in residency, an Internal Medicine resident, at a goat yoga event. Having a friend in residency for the long, tough days is so important. There are going to be weekend shifts and exams you have to study for, but take time to prioritize what helps you be the best version of yourself- mentally and physically.
- Ask for help when needed from your upper-level residents. We’ve all done intern year and know how challenging it is.
- You can learn from anyone – you may have MD/DO after your name, but I can honestly tell you that I have learned the most from floor RNs and patients.
- Don’t underestimate a good pair of shoes and compressions socks. I bought cute pink surgery clogs this year, and I was so excited to wear them until I realized they were causing me severe back pain. Residency can be physically demanding. We have 24-hour call shifts. You need shoes that are good for standing in long OR cases and also for walking. I think the most I’ve ever walked during a shift was just short of 11 miles. Also, I never work a shift now without compression socks. They help with feet swelling.
- Drink water. It’s so easy to want to just drink caffeine when you’re tired.
Tell us about your pups and how they help you through residency.
I’ve always loved dogs. Growing up, I twice brought home dogs without any warning. One of those dogs is my family’s 13-year-old Yorkie, Darcy. In medical school, I had a dog sitting business until one weekend my mom surprised me with a visit, and she was greeted by a big bear of a dog in my living room. I now have a Harlequin Great Dane named Quinn. Leaving the hospital one day after a long week in December, I somehow found myself at the animal shelter. I was just going to look, but I ended up walking out of there with a scared, abused dog who was rescued from a puppy mill. You could see all of her ribs. She also had some medical problems. Quinn at first was too scared to come near me. She would just watch me from across the room. Now, she is my little shadow, and she loves people and other dogs. I threw her a birthday party this year. Since she looks like a cow, me and my co-residents dressed up as cows.