Kalkena Sivanesam, MD, PhD, is a resident physician with the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology.
Name: Kalkena Sivanesam, MD, PhD
Hometown: Malaysia
Title and department at UNMC: House Officer III, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Education (degree and institution please):
- Medical school:Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
- Doctoral degree: University of Washington
What drew you to a career in anesthesiology? I always knew I wanted to be a physician and be in the operating room, inspired by my mom and uncle, who are both surgeons. But as I explored my future career of sterile gowns and scalpels, I spent a day with the wizard behind the blue drapes and have never looked back. I loved all the anesthesiologists that I had the opportunity of meeting, before and during medical school, and felt fascinated by what they do. The procedures, the manipulation of physiology, the complex drug interactions; all the topics I had spent years mastering in graduate school were the basis of anesthesiology, and it felt like this was what I was meant to do.
Why I chose UNMC: I spent most of my adult life in the Pacific Northwest, and the idea of leaving was completely foreign. But as I looked ahead in my career and personal future, I wanted to explore more outside my comfort zone. That led me on a quest to find a new home and a place to do my residency. I chose UNMC because they had a fantastic reputation for training residents who were skilled and competent. I also really liked everyone I met during my interview and how family friendly the program was. Being a new mom, working with people that understood the value of family was a priority for me, and I felt that this program knew how to balance excellent training while still allowing residents to have a meaningful home life.
Do you have any specific goals as chief resident? My goal is to help my coresidents excel and be the best they can be, whether at work or at home. I want to support learning and skill improvement while still helping everyone feel appreciated and have a good balance between work and fun.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? I moved to the U.S. by myself at the age of 18 to pursue my dream of becoming a physician. My greatest achievement is the day I received my MD with my beautiful daughter in my arms and husband by my side. It was my dream, with a few extra pieces I didn’t even know I needed.
What is your life like outside of work? Most of my life outside work is spent with my family; my husband, two lovely little girls and two rambunctious corgis. We are usually cooking/baking, playing and generally creating chaos together. I also love spending time with friends, exploring the amazing food scene around Omaha.
Three things people may not know about me:
- I learned math and science in Malay (the national language of Malaysia) until age 11.
- I love to crochet; I’ll make little stuffed animals for people whenever I get a chance.
- I love soccer and have been watching and cheering for Manchester United since I was about 4 years old.