Magdalene Brooke, MD

Education & Training

Undergraduate: Scripps College

Medical School: Case Western Reserve University

General Surgery Residency: UCSF-East Bay

Employment

2019-Present: Assistant Professor, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO

What was your favorite thing about UCSF East Bay?

It is honestly hard to pick a favorite thing about East Bay because it gave me so much. But if pressed, I have to say that I simply cannot overstate my love for my co-residents. In particular, my classmates from both my intern and chief classes. I was a part of two all-female classes and had the incredible honor to learn alongside these eight amazing women, any of whom I would be relieved to find at the foot of my bed if I woke up from an emergent operation.

What about UCSF East Bay most helps you in your career now?

At Highland Hospital, the chiefs function as junior attendings. We round, run our own clinics, operate with relative autonomy, and get to learn under an umbrella of safety that allows us to really grow into the role. This made the transition to being an attending so much smoother. In addition, the relationships I developed with the staff both at Highland and the Kaiser hospitals during my chief years have given me ongoing clinical and personal mentorship that is still helping me through my early career. I can call/text anyone for help and advice, and that is absolutely priceless.

What would you like to share with applicants about your experiences at East Bay?

I think the operative and clinical training I received was amazing. If you want to have the option to go to a competitive fellowship while still getting a strong enough general surgery training to go straight into practice after residency, look at UCSF East Bay! You will graduate from any program with adequate numbers, but pay attention to the quality of those cases. At East Bay, we learned by doing.

Do you have a favorite memory from UCSF-East Bay?

One of my favorite memories is of being allowed (under the watchful gaze of my chief) to take an intern through an inguinal hernia repair as an R2. Trying to struggle through that challenge taught me so much about the operation, about how much more I had to learn, and about how well you have to understand a case to lead it and teach it. My chief rescued me eventually, but being given that opportunity to see both my strengths and weaknesses was an amazing gift so early in my training.