Meet Our Chief Residents
Andy Furthmiller, MD
What is your educational background? I attended Purdue University where I majored in chemical engineering before moving back to my hometown of Cincinnati to begin a career as a research and development engineer at Procter & Gamble. I spent three years at P&G before changing careers to medicine and was fortunate enough to continue my training at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and thrilled to stay here at Cincinnati Children’s for pediatric residency.
What led you to a career in medicine? I have always been interested in engineering, problem solving and science. While I enjoyed my work at P&G, I felt called to combine my technical work with the humanistic and relationship-building aspects of life. Medicine was a perfect fit! Pediatrics has afforded me the unique opportunity to care for children and partner with families during some of the most difficult seasons of their lives. It has been an incredibly fulfilling experience that I’m so grateful to be a part of.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? I spent many months at Cincinnati Children’s as a medical student and couldn’t imaging completing residency anywhere else. As a Cincinnati native, former patient and now parent, I have come to love this institution, its people, culture and mission, as well as the unique educational opportunities it affords its trainees.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? I chose to become a chief resident because I've always had a passion for teaching and mentoring. During residency I was fortunate enough to have fantastic mentors who supported and shaped me as a physician in so many ways. I hope to be a similar resource for our residents during the challenging but rewarding season of residency.
What do you like to do for fun? My wife and I have three wonderful children (ages 7, 5 and 3), so most of our time outside of work is spent on family hiking adventures, backyard sports, trips to the Cincinnati Museum center and exploring the local parks. I also enjoy playing tennis, backpacking and traveling.
6. Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to be__________ a pediatric critical care attending at a large academic center, both spending time caring for patients and families in the PICU as well as broader hospital administrative work with focuses in quality improvement, patient safety and healthcare systems efficiency.
Calli Morris, MD
What is your educational background? I have a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of South Carolina, where I also minored in Spanish and medical humanities. After graduating with my undergraduate degree, I moved to my home state to attend medical school at the University of Missouri.
What led you to a career in medicine? At my elementary school, part of our curriculum was “kindergarten medical school” where we learned about a new body system each month, had guest speakers come in that worked in the medical field, and even had a “medical school graduation” at the end of the year! Ever since then, I have always said I wanted to become a doctor, and specifically a pediatrician. I knew from this young age that I loved science and wanted to work with children, but I ultimately chose a career in medicine because I knew it was the best way for me to combine my academic passions with serving others.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? I was born and raised in St. Louis and always envisioned myself pursuing residency and ultimately my lifelong career there. However, when I came to Cincinnati Children’s for my residency interview, I fell in love with the program and loved that the city of Cincinnati itself reminded me so much of home. I undoubtedly knew after my interview that Cincinnati Children’s would be the best fit for me, as I would be able to receive excellent training in a supportive environment while caring for a diverse patient population, and I could not be happier with my decision to come here!
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? As a chief resident, I hope to serve as a supportive mentor to the residents and help them reach their goals, both personally and professionally. I am also passionate about medical education, so I am looking forward to the opportunity to teach our residents and medical students through didactics and when I am on service on Hospital Medicine, and to keep education engaging and fun!
What do you like to do for fun? My husband and I love to travel and spend much of our time off exploring new cities and states. I also love music and dancing and go to as many concerts, musicals, and performances as possible.
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I plan to be____________ working as a pediatric hospitalist who is a strong advocate for my patients and their families.
Michelle Recto, MD
What is your educational background? I received my undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis where I majored in biochemistry and women, gender, and sexuality studies and minored in anthropology. I then attended the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where I graduated from in 2020.
What led you to a career in medicine? Growing up as the daughter of two pediatricians, I was exposed to medicine from a young age. My parents inspired me to pursue a profession where I would have the opportunity to work with children and positively change the lives of others.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? During my interview, I was incredibly impressed with both the clinical excellence of the hospital as well as the supportive community of the residency program. I knew as a graduate of this program I would be prepared to handle anything. In addition, I couple's matched to residency with my husband, who happened to love UC's general surgery program as well.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? As a chief resident, I look forward to playing a key role in the training of the next cohort of pediatricians from Cincinnati Children's. I feel strongly that resident wellness should be emphasized in the program in addition to educational opportunities inside and outside of the hospital. Finally, I hope to contribute to recruiting a diverse group of incoming residents.
What do you like to do for fun? I enjoy traveling, cooking, and hot yoga. I also love spending quality time with family and friends.
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to be__________ a pediatric emergency medicine physician at an academic institution so that I can continue to be closely involved in medical education and research.
Alison Walker, MD
What is your educational background? I spent my undergraduate years in Ithaca, NY at Cornell University, where I majored in Biology with a concentration in Neurobiology and Animal Behavior. I completed medical school at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA prior to moving to the Midwest for residency training at Cincinnati Children’s.
What led you to a career in medicine? I have always loved working with children and serving in a mentor or teacher role. I considered pursuing a career in education prior to deciding on medicine. I then recognized my interest in biology and explored medicine through a shadowing program in high school, finding it to be a perfect combination of my interests! I am thankful for the opportunity to partner with children and their families in the field of pediatrics to guide them in leading their healthiest and happiest lives!
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? My husband and I applied to residency at the same time and cast a broad net on our search across the country to find the right programs for both of us. We never anticipated moving to the Midwest before our residency interviews. We traveled to Cincinnati together to interview for our respective residency programs and found the educational opportunities and friendly culture to be a perfect fit for both of us!
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? My biggest hope is for the opportunity to serve as a mentor for our residents as they navigate this busy time in their early careers. I hope to help our residents make the most of the opportunities available to them in residency and to maintain work-life balance.
What do you like to do for fun? I love spending time outdoors. This can take the form of taking my two dogs for walks in the many parks of Cincinnati, hiking trips to Hocking Hills, and outdoor climbing trips to Red River Gorge! My husband and I enjoy both outdoor and indoor climbing, which we do regularly at Climb Time gym in Oakley. I enjoy reading and am a member of a book club with friends, which doubles as an opportunity to explore the many restaurants of Cincinnati!
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to be__________ partnering with patients and their families as their pediatrician at a primary care practice.
Med/Peds
Nicole Damari, MD
What is your educational background? I grew up in Scottsdale, AZ, then went to Brown University where I earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and anthropology and a master’s in pathobiology. After a couple of gap years, I went to medical school at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine before coming to Cincinnati for residency.
What led you to a career in medicine? I had been thinking about medicine for years because of my love of the sciences, but what truly sealed the deal for me was the realization that medicine is ultimately a very interdisciplinary field that benefits from so many different academic and personal perspectives. My experience in anthropology shifted my perspective of medicine from a field solely of science to this incredible interplay between the hard sciences, social sciences, and humanities. That academic experience, combined with the opportunity to be an advocate on individual and population levels, makes medicine a perfect fit.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? I had never been to Ohio before joining the med-peds residency program in Cincinnati but felt drawn here because of the combination of diverse patient care opportunities, advocacy-focused colleagues, and a commitment to medical education.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? I am hoping that this year will help me grow as an educator, as an advocate, and as a clinician. I’m interested in medical education, mentorship, and promoting resident wellness, and I hope to further develop my skills as I pursue projects in these areas.
What do you like to do for fun? I love to write and read fiction, and I’m a big fan of comic books and science fiction/fantasy stories. I love to see plays and theater productions. In another life, I was a scuba diving instructor, so scuba diving will also always have a special place in my heart.
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to be __________________ working as a med-peds hospitalist in an academic setting that will allow me to continue to pursue advocacy and education projects.
Fellows Orientation Returns to In-Person Sessions
The Graduate Medical Education Office is excited to welcome 110 of our new Cincinnati Children's fellows and specialty residents. This year we are able to transition back to an in-person orientation to help our fellows learn the culture of Cincinnati Children's and network with fellows from across the institution. The Fellows Academy will host sessions on quality improvement, safety, equity, bias, diversity, wellness, and education. These are critical topics and will also address key areas of accreditation.
During lunch, new fellows and specialty residents will have an opportunity to attend the first orientation fair and learn about a variety of topics. Some of the areas of interest include Affinity Groups at Cincinnati Children's, the Resident Spouse Association, Raising Kids During Fellowship, the Minority House Staff Association, Finding a Place of Worship, and Self-Care Resources.
Orientation will be on Wednesday, July 5–6, in Sabin. However, the Orientation Fair will be held on the 6th during lunch starting at 11:30 am.