Dr. Cynthia Reyes Brings Passion and Expertise as a Pediatric Surgeon
Dr. Cynthia Reyes,
Pediatric Surgery, Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando
The Kaye/Bassman Academic Medicine Recruiting Practice has recently named Dr. Cynthia Reyes, a recognized surgeon with more than 26 years of academic and private practice pediatric surgery experience, to the position of Pediatric Surgeon at Nemours. We sat down with Dr. Reyes to hear why she chose to work at Nemours and what gets her excited to come to work each and every day. Let’s take a look through the lens of a dedicated leader and exceptional healthcare provider.
Why did you pursue a medical degree?
My life pursuit has been to help people in need. My medical training allowed me to care for sick children and their families. Further faculty development provided tools needed to lead quality and patient safety efforts for all surgical disciplines and patient ages. This has been a marvelous health career.
What would you tell others who are considering pursuing a specialty in medicine?
Medicine is an honorable profession. My advice is to not be discouraged by the challenges of medical practice in the current environment. You will join a group of brilliant healthcare professionals, who like you, are dedicated to the creation of an efficient healthcare system that provides high-quality care for everyone, regardless of social or ethnic status.
What drew you the most to the Pediatric Surgery position at Nemours Children’s Hospital?
My employment as the Division Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Nemours Children’s Clinic in Pensacola gave me clear insight to Nemours’ commitment to children healthcare. Nemours’ financial stewardship and its emphasis on high-value healthcare care has positioned Nemours as a leader in pediatric medicine.
Would you say this new position is a path you were looking for or a more spontaneous change?
This position fulfills the goal to work in a free-standing Children’s Hospital where the focus is directly on children.
How does your new position bring a positive change to your career?
I look forward to applying my experience to quality improvement in a standalone Children’s Hospital and ultimately at a foundation level.
What is the biggest challenge you think you will face as the new Faculty, Pediatric Surgeon?
I will miss teaching surgery residents. This will be an adjustment because I have been teaching residents for over 26 years!
What do you like most about the Orlando area?
Orlando is wonderfully accessible to family, friends and travel. My family and I will enjoy the diverse community and culture, as well as the centralization of the City – it’s near the airport and has many attractions and the parks. I have always dreamed to swim with dolphins!
We also look forward to living in Lake Nona’s progressively-planned community.
Where do you see the Department/Division of Surgery in the next 10 years?
In 10 years, the Department/Division of Surgery will be a leader in pediatric surgery, not only in Orlando, but for the nation. Nemours is committed to supporting highly-trained faculty who are dedicated to the development of state-of-the art programs and research in minimally invasive surgery, neonatal surgery, oncology, trauma/critical care and transplantation.
What impact do you think you will have on the Department/Division? What’s your vision?
As an experienced pediatric surgeon, I will contribute to the development of cutting-edge, pediatric surgical programs, while applying best practices for creation of a high-quality and high-value surgical department.
Please explain how you would foster a culture of faculty/residents trust in your department as the new Pediatric Surgeon?
To secure trust, the newcomer must first watch, listen and learn about the people, the institution’s operations and culture to determine how to support the system and fit in. A sure path to failure is to arrive with preconceived notions.
Can you briefly describe your experience working with the Kaye/Bassman Academic Medicine Recruiting Team?
Working with Eric Dickerson was fantastic. He was very informative, responsive, reliable, and extremely supportive. He provided a great depth of information about Nemours to prepare me for my interview. Overall, it was a very positive experience.
Had you worked with a recruiter before and how was it different?
This is the first time that I worked with professional recruiters. Eric made the recruiting process easy. He also made me feel valuable to Nemours.
What’s the single best reason you would recommend working with Kaye/Bassman Academic Medicine Recruiting Practice?
I was impressed by Eric’s ability to identify a good match; one that fit my career goals and Nemours’ professional needs.
Is there anything we could do to make the experience better?
This recruitment process was a great experience. My advice is to keep up the good work.