We would like to welcome our new fellow, Dr. Robert Swendiman, to the Pediatric General Surgery Division. We are thrilled to have him on the team! Dr. Swendiman received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University and a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania. We had a chance to sit down with Dr. Swendiman and learn more about what made him interested in pediatric surgery and why he chose the University of Utah for further training.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your family. Where did you grow up?
Dr. Swendiman: I grew up in Kensington, MD, just outside of Washington, D.C. However, my father went to the University of North Carolina for his undergraduate education, so every chance we had as a family we would drive down to Chapel Hill. As a Tar Heel born and bred, I followed in his footsteps, going there for college and medical school. I remain a rabid UNC fan and bleed Carolina blue.
Q: What made you interested in medicine?
Dr. Swendiman: When I was in kindergarten, I dressed up in green scrubs for Halloween and told my parents I wanted to be a doctor. I'm not sure what prompted that but about 20 years later I kept that promise.
Q: What made you interested in pediatric surgery?
Dr. Swendiman: I was immediately drawn to the children's hospitals in medical school and residency, and enjoyed these rotations immensely. I love working with children and seeing their surgeons make a lasting, life-long impact on their lives in such a positive way. There is so much hope and love in pediatrics and I wanted to be a part of that.
Q: Why did you choose University of Utah for fellowship training?
Dr. Swendiman: I thought the U was the best training program in the country: amazing people with tremendous volume and operative complexity. It seemed like the opportunities here were limitless.
Q: Can you tell us about your research interests?
Dr. Swendiman: Most of my research to date has been in the pediatric trauma world, focusing on the use of angiography in blunt solid organ injury. However, I have a longstanding interest in surgical education and humanism as well.
Q: What do you do for fun when you are not in the operating room?
Dr. Swendiman: When I'm not at work, I'm with my family. My wife, Brenda, and I have two children: Luke (3) and Lucy (2). Luke loves the pool and anything car/truck/train related, and Lucy loves animals. Most of my free time is spent chasing after them.