Kristin Burkhalter

Kristin Burkhalter blazes her own path! Fortunately for our community that path has led her to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center as a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist.

 

Modest beginnings

Her journey into medicine began in a small town in Tennessee at the age of seven, when she moved in with her maternal grandmother who happened to live at the bend of a hairpin turn in the road. Because there was little else to do in Clifton, Tennessee, the young drivers in the area would push their luck on the small-town roads, often ending up in grandma’s front yard with one or more passengers needing some level of medical attention. Kristin watched as her grandmother patched the young unfortunates up and her fascination with trauma patients was born.

Can you really teach yourself organic chemistry?

Admittedly there was NOT a lot of counseling to help bright young students, like Kristin, reach their full potential in Clifton, TN. Fortunately, she had enough people recognize her potential and encourage her at the right time. Kristin won a scholarship contest at Martin Methodist College but after 4 years, the program had not quite prepared her to qualify for medical school. So, she took a summer and taught herself organic chemistry. She subsequently entered the medical program at the University of  Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and then on to Cincinnati

Life is good

Kristin is now a graduate of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center residency program and is currently in the final leg of her fellowship there. She is also recently married to the love of her life, Sam. Her path has been fraught with hard work and challenges, but Kristin remains. focused and consistently outworks her obstacles.

Just for fun:

Q: Why the field of cardiothoracic medicine?
A: While at school in Memphis, I spent a month on rotation at the University of Florida. There I saw my first cardiac case and my first human heart. I was hooked.

Q: Who is someone you look up to?
A: My mom. She worked in a construction job assembling mobile homes. One summer I decided to work at the same job as her and discovered first-hand how hard she worked for our family.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Cincinnati?
A: Incline Public House – great food, great view, great sangrias.

Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: The Dark Night – Heath Ledger was phenomenal.

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: Take care of yourself – your  health is having great emotional, physical, spiritual & mental balance.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: Go to Egypt – I am fascinated with the ancient culture.

Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: I like Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Symphonic Metal.
Nightwish / In This moment / Five Finger Death Punch

Q: Choosing anyone alive or not: with whom would you love to have lunch?  Why?
A: Edgar Allen Poe – my favorite author.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: The door’s open – I like what I doing so far.

Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: Mom / Sam, my love / Kida, my dog & companion on this journey

Q: What do you do for you?
A: I cross stich; play with Kida; I really like to bake.

 

At the time of this writing – Kristin was recently married (on Friday the 13th of September).
All the best to you and Sam!

 

 

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