Name: Joseph Menousek, MD
Medical school you attended/year you graduated: UNMC, Class of 2017
Residency/fellowship at UNMC: Neurosurgery
Program director: William Thorell, MD
How long is your training program and how long have you been at UNMC?
Neurosurgery residency is seven years total, and this is currently my 10th year at UNMC including medical school.
What do you like the most about your training program?
I’m not sure I can pick just one! My fellow residents and their significant others are incredible people that I am honored to call my friends in addition to coworkers. I have several staff mentors in the UNMC Department of Neurosurgery that dedicate a significant amount of energy to teaching residents. And our program coordinator is amazing (shout out, Kellie Devney!)
What challenges do you foresee in graduate medical education in the future?
The stigma of mental health in medical training is finally starting to reverse, but simply acknowledging this problem does not equal a solution. Promoting good mental health is multifaceted. Thankfully there have been minor improvements in work-life balance, financial stability and development of equal opportunities across those of all minority backgrounds over the last few years to name a few, but we certainly have miles to go.
List some accomplishments that you are proud of:
- Somehow getting accepted into medical school.
- Somehow matching into neurosurgery residency.
- Oh, and I recently won a Mario Kart tournament held amongst some friends of mine that also came with a trophy.
Tell us three things about you that others may not know:
- I am attempting to learn Japanese on Duolingo – I just hit a streak of 365 days.
- I am a certified scuba diver.
- I have an orange and white cat named Winston. Next time you see me, please ask to see pictures, and I will be overjoyed to show you!