On this episode of Scrubcast, we dive deep into the world of trauma surgery with Dr. Joe Forrester, an associate professor in the Division of General Surgery at Stanford University and the trauma medical director for Stanford Healthcare. In this conversation hosted by Rachel Baker, Dr. Forrester shares his personal journey as both a surgeon and a trauma patient. (He decided professional climbing wasn’t a long-term career strategy at the age of 20 after a serious rock-climbing accident. Read the story here.)

Dr. Forrester also serves as the founding director of Stanford’s Chest Wall Injury Center. He talks about bringing new surgical techniques to Stanford including surgical stabilization of sternal and rib fractures (SSRF) and how he shares he knowledge with residents and fellow surgeon (Learn more about RibFest.) all in the hopes of providing patients with the level of care he would want for his family and friends.

p.s. Dr. Forrester couldn’t divulge the details of a study that will premier at AAST this September but you can read the precursor paper here: “Ultrasound-guided percutaneous cryoneurolysis of intercostal nerves.”

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Dr. Forrester's journey to trauma surgery

05:00 The impact of personal experiences on his career

10:00 Lightning round: Surgeons he admires and best advice

15:00 Reflections on mentorship and opportunities

18:00 Closing thoughts