Jennifer Etcheson, MD
Hand & Upper Extremity Fellow
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career?
As I prepare to sit for ABOS Part I of the boards, the AAOS Orthopaedic Board Preparation and Review Course has been an invaluable source. The course has provided a structured and focused review of tested topics through lectures from experts in our field, previously tested questions, and highlights key concepts to focus your studying for the boards. They are pre-recorded lectures, so it's been easy to fit into my own schedule. Throughout residency, ResStudy question bank and the ROCK curriculum have also been very helpful learning tools.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
My mom immigrated from Iran and is the bravest person I know. She would always tell me, "Don't shy away from opportunities that scare you, those are the opportunities that will help you grow most," which is akin to the saying "Growth doesn't come from comfort zones." Put yourself out there, you never know what could happen.
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
Eat the frog. Do your hardest, most daunting task first. Putting it off only creates anxiety and wastes precious energy. Usually, you'll find that all the time spent worrying about a task is actually more than the time it takes to complete it. So, eat the frog, and it'll make the rest of your tasks for the day seem easy.
What’s one thing you’re currently trying to make a habit?
Spending more time with co-fellows outside of work! Everyone is busy on different rotation schedules, studying, and having families outside of fellowship, so it's hard to spend non-work related time with my resident family. I'm working on making time to get lunch or dinner with colleagues, go on quick walks during room turn-overs, and carve out time after work, even if it's just a phone call to check-in.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
I love being outdoors. Golfing, snowboarding, finding new surf spots on the East Coast, skateboarding, spending time with my dog Bodie, and checking out new restaurants with co-fellows and friends.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
Growing up in California, going to the beach and water sports is just part of the culture. My first time surfing was in junior high, and I got up on my first wave! I caught the surf bug, which I haven't been able to shake ever since.