North Texas medical center's first general surgery residents class is all female
FORT WORTH — Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth has welcomed its first class of general surgery residents and they're already making history.
According to a spokesperson for Baylor Scott & White, the hospital was founded in 1900 by 15 women dedicated to building a medical institution in Fort Worth. The three young women accepted into the residency program plan to continue that legacy 124 years later.
"We're all females, and all our names start with K, which is very fun," Dr. Kristen Kluber said.
About 700 doctors applied for the three general surgery residency spots. The three women were accepted because it was a good fit for them and the hospital. They're under the watchful eye of surgical residency program director Dr. Richard Ruiz.
The three surgical residents have been meeting with patients, scrubbing into surgery and flying along on organ transplant trips.
"When I started my surgical training 20-some odd years ago, about 20% of surgical residents were women," Ruiz said. "Now that number is up to about 45%."
"I just think that representation really matters, and if someone is seeing me now in the field, then they think, 'Oh, if she can do it, then I can do it,'" said resident Dr. Kendall Wermine.
Wermine wants to be a vascular surgeon.
"I just think it's a field where I'll always get to learn new things," Wermine said. "It's one that's growing and changing every day."
Kluber thought she wanted to be a professional ballerina until an injury sent her to the operating room.
"There were not any female surgeons around," Kluber said.
She plans to change that to open up her own general surgery private practice in a rural area.
"I want to be able to help underserved communities that really don't have surgeons in the area and just be able to provide something to communities that really don't have the resources typically," Kluber said.
Dr. Kavneet Kaur wants to help patients as a trauma care critical surgeon.
"It's kind of going back to the reason I wanted to do surgery in the first place is to be able to nurse the patient from when they're on death's door to playing an integral rose in getting them back to living their lives," Kaur said.
The three trailblazers have become the best of friends and said having a work-life balance is crucial to avoiding burnout.
"We've been trying out all the spots in Fort Worth. We're big foodies," Wermine said.
The class will spend their five years of residency together and plan to pave the path for more young women in front of them.
Many people encouraged Kaur to pursue a career other surgeon, and she's excited she followed her goals.
"Surgery is more than just being in the operating room," Kaur said. "It's the before and the after when you plan with your patient, take them, execute your plan, and then see them through that. Once I saw that, and once I saw you can be more than that cold stereotype of a surgeon, I was like okay, sign me up!"
She encourages other young women to stick to their dreams and aspirations.