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| Robert Rella, third from left, with fellow medical students |
Age: 24
Class: 2024
Hometown: Spanish Fort, Alabama
Undergraduate education: B.S., Auburn University
What do you enjoy most about being a medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
The opportunity to work so closely with attendings and residents. It’s hands on!
Are you involved in any research, organizations or other initiatives at the College of Medicine?
I have worked on several projects with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, the most recent of which being the description of a technique for an orthopaedic surgeon to perform a peripheral nerve block intraoperatively that has helped more than 150 patients undergo total knee replacement surgery opioid-free in the postoperative period, and nearly a thousand other patients reduce their opioid consumption while recovering from surgery. This project was exciting because it takes steps against the opioid epidemic in the U.S. while simultaneously playing a role in minimizing postoperative pain. A link to one of the articles published from this study can be found here: https://www.jisakos.com/article/S2059-7754(23)00024-X/fulltext.
I also co-founded the Exercise and Athletics Club, an organization that held weekly workouts during the preclinical years of medical school that was a good outlet for classmates to stay healthy and connected with one another. I served as an officer in my class as the SGA liaison and several positions for various other interest groups, including CMMSA and am serving as the current president of the Orthopaedic Surgery Interest Group.
What are your interests and hobbies?
Sports and all forms of exercise.
What is something unique about you?
I carry one copy of the mutated CFTR gene.
