Today your St. Louis roving reporter is at Grand Avenue Hospital. In keeping with our series of interviews with young professionals, we’re sharing a cup of coffee with Dr. David Holmes. I’d like to begin by offering my congratulations on your surgical position. 
D.H. Thank you.
R.R. Could you share with our readers when and how you first became interested in medicine?
D.H. During junior high we were assigned a project which included interviewing a person in our dream occupation and touring their workplace. I thought I’d keep it simple and interviewed my aunt. She discussed her college training and gave me an in-depth tour of the hospital lab where she worked. I walked away from the hospital and her co-workers knowing I wanted medicine. The details, such as physician vs. one of the ancillary fields, solidified during high school.
R.R. Could you describe the educational route you took to your current position?
D.H. My undergraduate degree is from the University of Missouri in Columbia. I returned to St. Louis for medical school and was fortunate to do all my interning and surgical residency programs right here at Grand Avenue Hospital.
R.R. Did you have any detours or side trips during these long years?
D. H. I was determined to avoid detours. However, medical school can be expensive. I did receive several grants and scholarships. One of the scholarships required nine months at a medical mission of the sponsor. I’m happy to report that I’ve recently returned from Guatemala.
R.R. That’s a significant side trip. Do you plan to make further contributions of this sort?
D. H. No current plans. Perhaps in a few years I’ll participate again.
R.R. Describe some of your off duty interests and hobbies for our readers. Where would we be likely to see you on your day off?
D. H. You’ll find me in my kitchen. I enjoy baking traditional desserts and adding new flavors to classic main dishes. I also try to get in a run when possible or play some basketball with friends.
R.R. What do you see yourself doing in five years?
D. H. Five years from now I’d like to be training future surgeons. My surgical mentor and I have floated a few collaborative ideas and I’d like to think that at least one of them works out.
R.R. Thank you, Dr. Holmes. We wish you well in both your career and personal life.
Stare Down picks up Dr. Holmes’ story a few days after this interview. It’s available now from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
(This “interview” first appeared as a guest blog on http://www.elizabethmeyette.com in Nov. 2015.)