Loren C. Tholcke, DO
Orthopaedic Surgery Trauma Fellow
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
How has the AAOS helped you throughout your career?
AAOS provides excellent resources for continued education. The AAOS Annual Meeting is also a great opportunity to hear from some of the leaders in the field and to see what direction the surgical fields are going.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
“If it was easy, everyone would do it”- John Schlechter, DO. Every time I get stuck in a challenging case or situation, I am reminded of these words and use that as an opportunity to push myself to be better and reflect on how I can improve the next time around.
What’s your go-to productivity trick?
For me, it would have to be trying to focus on one thing at a time, making “to do” lists, as well as calendar schedules to remind me of important timeline/events. I find myself to get easily distracted so when I start something, I see it until completion then have the satisfaction of taking it off my “to do” list.
What’s one thing you’re currently trying to make a habit?
A good friend of mine told me when he went to fellowship, he tried to make it a habit to try one new thing a week. For my wife and I, we have now started a similar pattern where we try a new restaurant once a week or explore a new area to take the dogs.
What hobbies do you enjoy in your spare time?
I have been working on my BBQ skills lately. We took a trip to Texas which inspired this hobby and have been making brisket, pulled pork and now Al Pastor more often than I care to admit.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know?
I once won a chili cookoff competition.