Marguerite Ballou, MD

I was raised 15 miles from WV in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. My interests include underserved populations especially rural Appalachian communities like my hometown. I am passionate about women's health and LGBTQ care.

Resident

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Surgery

Classification:

Resident

• MD, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018
• BS, Roanoke College, 2014

Brief bio:

I was raised 15 miles from WV in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.  My interests include underserved populations especially rural Appalachian communities like my hometown.  I am passionate about women's health and LGBTQ care.

What attracted you to WVU Residency?

I personally liked the fact that the program is a major University Hospital with few surgical fellowships, allowing residents to do major cases.  I was drawn to the program as part of my passion for caring for underserved communities, especially have grown up in Appalachia.

What makes our program unique?

The complexity of our patients never ceases to amaze me.  The state has many healthcare disparities in general and we receive some of the sickest patients throughout the entire state. We also have the opportunity to train on perfused cadavers and I was fortunate enough to be here when the program started.  It has raised my confidence levels in dealing with traumatic injuries, and has given me the opportunity to participate in rare procedures such as common bile duct exploration.  It has helped greatly with my overall confidence.

What do you like about Morgantown?

As someone who loves nature, there is plenty of hiking and outdoor activities nearby both in Morgantown itself and within a few hour's reach.  The people here are also very friendly!

Awards:

• 2015: I2CRP (international, inner-city, rural preceptorship program), VCU School of Medicine

Professional Societies/Committee/Membership:

• 2018 American College of Surgeons - Resident Member
• 2014 Phi Beta Kappa
• "Impact of a Paper Mill on Microbial Communities in the Jackson River."  Roanoke College Honors Thesis Defense, 2014
• "Patient-Titrated Moderate Sedation During Second Trimester Dilation and Evacuation:  An Evaluation of Outcomes and Adverse Events."  VCU SOM I2CRP Captsone Project Presentations, 2018.

Personal Interests:

• Hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, running, craft beer, Game of Thrones, West World/college football, and spending time with her 2 fur babies.