Name: Nancy L. Ascher, MD, PhD
Career Advisor for: Surgery, Transplant
Title(s): Professor and Chair, Dept. of Surgery
Best way to contact (e-mail, phone?): phone 476-1236
Undergraduate & Graduate Degrees/Institutions:

• AB- Psychology Univ Mich, Ann Arbor
• MD- Medicine Univ Mich, Ann Arbor
• Residency- Gen Surgery Univ Minn, Minneapolis
• Fellowship- Transplant Univ Minn, Minneapolis
• PhD- Surgery Univ Minn, Minneapolis

Clinical Interests/Duties: Solid Organ Transplantation
Research Interests/Duties: Local events in allograft rejection; Use of the SCID mouse in transplant models; Recurrent disease after liver transplant

Career Information

1. What can students do in the 1st and 2nd years to explore and/or prepare for this career? Experience - operating room, clinic and laboratory

2. What common variations exist in the length/content of residency programs for this career? Little variation- surgery residency followed by two year fellowship

3. What common variations exist in this career after training? Various combinations of clinical work and research

4. What is a typical work day for you (or someone else representative)? As transplantation is emergent surgery, round the clock call is the norm.

5. What is the "culture" of this career? Very translational oriented, easy application of basic and clinical trials to patient care

6. How compatible is this career with raising a family? How is this different for men and women? Supportive, flexible spouse and reliable child care is essential.

7. How important, individually, are each the following for admission to a competitive program:

a. Extra-curricular/volunteer work?
b. Research/publications?
c. Honors in third year?
d. AOA?
e. A sub-internship?
f. An externship?
g. (Other important elements to the application?)

All good qualities for surgery career