MEET THE PROFESSIONAL
January 2019
Ashley Abilmona Salha, MD
Dr. Ashley Abilmona Salha is an Anesthesiologist for Franciscan Anesthesia Associates in Gig Harbor, Washington. Ashley works in a private practice setting at a community hospital as well as a few free standing surgery centers. She administer general anesthesia for patients undergoing an array of different types of surgery including scheduled total joint replacements (such as knees, hips, and shoulders), plastic surgery (mostly breast cancer patients undergoing reconstructive breast surgery), scheduled general surgery (gall bladder removal, hernia repairs, etc), as well as emergent surgeries including bone fractures, acute appendicitis, or severe infections requiring surgical intervention. She has a special interest in non-narcotic treatment of acute surgical pain. For instance, rather than treating post operative surgical pain with morphine, she performs a nerve block which numbs sensation to the surgical site decreasing the amount of pain medication required.
We are very excited to feature her this month in our “Meet the Professional” series.
Below are a few questions to help facilitate this interactive connection. At the end of the page you will have an opportunity to post your own questions for Dr. Abilmona-Salha.
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Describe your current Occupation & Degree/s and Universities.
- Fellowship, Anesthesia at Virginia Mason Medical Center (Seattle, WA)
- Residency, Anesthesiology at Loma Linda University Medical Center (Loma Linda, CA)
- Residency, Internal Medicine at State University of New York at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)
- Doctor of Medicine from State University of New York at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)
- Bachelor of Arts, Spanish from Canisius College (Buffalo, NY)
- Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry from Canisius College (Buffalo, NY)
Awards/recognitions:
- Board Certified in Anesthesiology (Washington)
- University at Buffalo School of Medicine Alumni Scholarship (2004 – 2008)
- Presidential Scholarship, Canisius College (2000 – 2004)
- Dean’s List (2000 – 2004)
- Valerian A, Ruskiewicz Memorial Prize for Distinction in Chemistry (2004)
- Student General Excellence Award of the American Chemical Society (2004)
- Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges (2004)
- Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society (inducted Spring 2004)
- Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society (inducted Spring 2003)
Discuss a moment or turning point in your life that led you to your career path:
A career in medicine has been the only path I’ve ever known since childhood. I can’t remember a time in my life when I wanted to be anything other than a doctor. I always had the grades for it and I definitely have a more scientific mind than a creative one. I entered medical school wanting to be a dermatologist but I quickly learned that clinics and outpatient medicine were not for me. Near the end of my third year of medical school, during my surgical rotation, I quickly found myself more interested in what was going on at the head of the operating room table rather than on the surgical field in front of me. After a one week introduction to the field, I immediately fell in love with the complexity of the field. Anesthesiology is one of the only fields in medicine with the shortest, yet arguably the most intimate, physician- patient interaction. Unlike other doctors, I meet my patients only once and immediately have to earn their trust as they quite literally are putting their lives in my hands. It’s a responsibility I take very seriously.
Discuss a role model or mentor who influenced your career choice:
My parents are both entrepreneurs and are my original role models. They instilled in me the concepts of hard work and determination as the two qualities needed to achieve any goal. They were the two people who encouraged and supported me through all the ups and downs along the way. In addition to my husband, my mom is still the one person I vent to when I’ve had a difficult day. Even though she doesn’t know anything about medicine, she always knows the right things to say to make me feel better.
While I wouldn’t say I have one specific work mentor, I do look to my colleagues on a daily basis for advice. Medicine, in general, is a field where you never stop learning. Things are constantly changing and evolving and it’s important to stay up to date with the latest advances and recommendations. That being said, tapping into the knowledge base of more seasoned anesthesiologists when I’m faced with a complex case or a new challenge is always helpful and educational. I’ve adopted many new skills that have made me a better physician by learning from those around me.
Do you recall any specific challenges you encountered and overcame?
I can comment on the challenges of medical school; the long nights, the endless studying, and the seemingly never ending certification exams. The human body is amazing in its ability to get through such grueling tasks. The real challenge for me came when I first started my current job. I was young (compared to the other anesthesiologists in my group) and the only female in a group of 15 doctors. The surgeons I work with didn’t know me or my skill set so there was period of time where I had to “prove” myself. Ask any physician and they’ll probably tell you the first few months of practice after training are the scariest time of one’s career. All of a sudden, you no longer have someone looking over your shoulder. All the decisions are yours to make and you have to make the right ones because someone’s life is at stake.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I’m fortunate enough to have a career that I love. It can be demanding with long hours and overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts. In ten years, I hope to be doing the same thing but with a bit more flexibility to enjoy other things in life as well; traveling, hobbies, time with family.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in your field?
Medicine is not for the faint of heart. It’s a long road and can sometimes take a toll on your spirit and health. There were many times when I wanted to give up and almost did once if it wasn’t for my parents’ encouragement. You must be willing to work hard and at times be willing to sacrifice family functions, trips, or other enjoyments. If you have any doubts, think of why you decided to pursue this career path. If you’re still passionate about that reason, keep going and use that as your focus to push through. If not, get out early. Physician burn out is a real thing and if you’re not passionate about what you do, it takes its toll.
Tell us a little bit about your hobbies outside of your field:
The gym became my sanctuary early on it medical school and I’ve continued to have a passion for strength and fitness. Luckily, I married a man who has that same passion. I find time to get in a work out at least 5 days a week.
I’m slowly getting to work on my travel bucket list. We make at least one overseas trip a year in hopes of seeing different parts of the world and learning about different cultures. Next up is Thailand. More recently, thanks to my husband, we’ve started raising animals. I wouldn’t necessarily call this a hobby of mine but it is one of his and I do support and help him out; probably not as much as he’d like… but for a city gal, who never had any pets growing up, it’s all about the baby steps. We raise chickens for eggs and butcher about two dozen birds each spring for the meat. Just last month, we brought sheep to our mini 5-acre farm and butchered our first lamb in December. Stay tuned for what animals come next…
A Q&A form will be uploaded shortly. In the meantime feel free to send any questions you would like to ask Dr. Ashley Abilmona Salha to admin@network1017.com
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