Current Fellows
Meet our current colorectal surgical fellows and discover more about what brought them to Children's National Hospital, what excites them about the fellowship and what a typical day looks like.
Rachel Hanke, M.D.
Fellow, Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgical
What brought you to the Children’s National Fellowship program?
The ability to gain knowledge and skill in a nuanced area of pediatric surgery by training under the leading experts in colorectal, gynecologic and urologic surgery.
Where are you from?
Originally from Romeo, MI.
What excites you about this program?
The multidisciplinary care we provide for children and families affected by complex colorectal anomalies.
When your fellowship program ends, what do you hope to do after?
Complete an adult colorectal fellowship and pediatric surgery fellowship and then provide care to patients with colorectal disease throughout their lifetime.
Thomas Xu, M.D.
Fellow, Colorectal Research
What brought you to Children’s National’s fellowship program?
I wanted to go to a program where I could get excellent training in both the research and clinical aspects of pediatric surgery. Of course, having the chance to work with the best in the field initially attracted me to Children’s national but after talking with prior fellows and learning how supported they were I knew this was the right place for me. It is amazing the depth and breadth of opportunities they had through this program from developing their research skills to learning from the best in the operating room.
Where are you from?
I was born in Gainesville, Florida but I moved early and have lived nearly my entire childhood in central Connecticut (Glastonbury).
What is most exciting to you about this program?
Working with a fantastic multidisciplinary team consisting of excellent nurses, advanced practice providers, administrative staff, urologists, gynecologists, and colorectal surgeons. I’m excited that I will be able to develop by my skills as a surgical trainee as well as a researcher. Most importantly I’m excited to have the privilege of caring for children and their families.
When your fellowship program ends, what do you hope to do after?
I plan to complete my general surgery training and hopefully continue to work with children in a multidisciplinary fashion.