Micaela Weaver, D.O., FACS, is accustomed to helping patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer develop treatment plans. As a breast surgical oncologist at the Care New England Health System in Rhode Island, she sees patients for breast-related complaints or concerns such as a cancer diagnosis, a benign mass, a family history of breast cancer or discussion after gender-affirming chest surgery.
“Breast surgery is a special field of surgery where I get to make connections with my patients and really get to know them, their families, their hopes and their fears. I also love the technical aspect of my job and that it requires me to always continue learning and form a personalized plan for each patient. It is incredibly rewarding and a privilege to have the opportunity to guide patients through such a difficult time in their lives,” she said.
Weaver first became interested in surgery during a rotation in her third year of medical school.
“It was almost like the lights were brighter and the air was crisper and everything was more in focus the first time I walked into an operating room,” she said.
A typical week for Weaver includes seeing patients in the clinic two or three days a week, operating on patients one or two days a week and time devoted to educational and administrative tasks. This includes attending and giving lectures, meeting with multidisciplinary tumor boards, and serving on committees including the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer and National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.
“No day is the same,” Weaver said. “Breast cancer care, and all aspects of breast health, are personal and unique for each person, so I enjoy being able to meet a patient where they are and get them where they want to be.”
Weaver has been in her current position for three years. After graduating from WVSOM in 2014, she completed a general surgery residency at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in Queens, N.Y. She then completed a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island/Brown University.
Embracing the entire person and caring for them as a whole is the foundation of Weaver’s practice. She said that philosophy is, in part, a result of her time at WVSOM.
“The emphasis WVSOM places on patient-centered care and complementary health programs prepared me for this field where much of the treatment is patient-specific and there isn’t only one right way to care for patients. It is easy to get bogged down in algorithms and EHR [electronic health records], but spending the time focusing on who my patient is and what they need from me is a foundation that WVSOM built and I continue to add to on a daily basis,” she said.
Weaver showed her appreciation to her alma mater by lecturing at the Mid-Winter Osteopathic Seminar hosted by the WVSOM Alumni Association in January.
In addition to her clinical work, Weaver is an assistant professor, clinician educator in the departments of surgery and OB-GYN at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She wants to educate future physicians in a way that empowers them to think critically and inquisitively. Weaver believes that the experiences future health care professionals have as trainees shape the way they practice as physicians.
“I used my own experiences in residency training to strengthen my determination and dedication to fostering learners through the training process and to overcoming barriers we all continue to face. I give lectures to Brown [University] medical students, OB-GYN residents and breast surgical oncology fellows, but I am primarily involved in the hands-on clinical education of our fellows and OBGYN residents rotating with the breast service,” she said.
In 2022, Weaver’s work as a surgeon was recognized by the Association of Women Surgeons when she was named one of the “40 Under 40 Outstanding Women Surgeons,” an honor she attributes to the many mentors she has had throughout her career.
“I am grateful to have had such solid guidance and leadership to get me where I am in my career. To be recognized alongside so many incredible women from around the world who are leaders and trailblazers is truly an honor,” she said.
Weaver’s hard work as an “outstanding” surgeon doesn’t end with national recognition. She has set a short-term goal to grow her hospital’s gender-affirming clinic, where she counsels gender-diverse patients about recommendations for breast cancer screening and breast cancer risk, all while remaining passionate about her longterm goal of helping others through the surgical education process so they can have positive learning experiences.
“When I get to look into a patient’s eyes and tell them they are cancer-free, those are the moments that remind me why I became interested in this field,” she said. “Nothing compares to that feeling, and those experiences taught me to be grateful for each bit of good news, silver lining or piece of joy we get. They can be elusive in medicine and life, but remembering to savor them when they happen is what gets us through.”