Marek, Jenna

By Michael Hilleary | July 14, 2025

 

 

Jenna Marek, BA, MD

Trainee Photo Coming Soon Image

Hometown:

Orlando, FL

Undergraduate School:

Bucknell University

Medical School:

University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine

Bio:

I grew up in Orlando, then moved to Pennsylvania to play college soccer at Bucknell University where I studied art and spent a semester painting in Venice. Living in Italy when the pandemic began sparked a passion for global health, leading me to found a collegiate MSF chapter and later pursue medical research in Bangkok and nonprofit work in the Dominican. My background in art shaped my appreciation for detail, creativity, and connection – values I found again in surgery. I’m especially interested in how social and cultural factors affect access to surgical care, both locally and in underserved communities abroad.

Personal Interests:

Snuggling my dog Wally, backpacking and travel, playing and watching sports especially McLaren Formula 1 and TB Lightning (go bolts!), making and drinking great coffee, being in and around the water, ranking restaurants on Beli, anything art-related, & pretty much all adrenaline activities

Clinical Interests:

Cardiac surgery, aortic and congenital surgery, global surgery, public and global health, underserved populations and health equity, trauma and critical care

Professional Activities:

American Medical Association (AMA)
American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA)

Why UW?

UW checked every box on my list: a top-tier academic surgical program, multiple clinical sites with exposure to a wide range of practice settings and patient populations, incredible research opportunities, and a major metropolitan area where I genuinely want to live. The WWAMI catchment area gave me confidence that I’d see every case I need—and more—to become the best surgeon I can be, while learning from leaders in the field. But beyond all of that, what stood out most was how truly seen and supported I felt. On interview day, it was clear UW valued my passions in both cardiac and global surgery, and was already excited to help me grow in both. Arriving in Seattle, I didn’t just feel excited—I felt at home, and completely certain I was exactly where I needed to be.

What advice do you have for incoming interns?

As an incoming intern myself (as I am typing this, I literally graduated yesterday), I don’t think I’m qualified to answer this yet! But there are two quotes from Gretchen Rubin’s “The Happiness Project” that have been my mantra for the past decade and I’m bringing them with me to residency: 1. “The days are long, but the years are short.” and 2. “Happiness is a choice; choose it.” Would recommend this book to anyone – it’s filled with golden nuggets and totally changed my life outlook and attitude!

What do you like best about living in Seattle?

I just signed my lease but on my visits to Seattle I’ve been loving all the markets and fresh local food, the coffee culture, the beauty everywhere you look (especially the water, mountains, and wineries!), and most importantly as a born-and-raised Floridian, it doesn’t get super cold!

Publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

  1. Flores-Milan G, Carballo Cuello C, Pressman E, Rainone G, Marek J, Viloria Hidalgo A, Haas A, Hayman E, Alikhani P. Lateral Anterior Column Release in Short Lumbar Fusion… Is It Worth It? World Neurosurg. 2024 Dec;192:e56-e63. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.08.131. Epub 2024 Sep 14. PMID: 39278544.
  2. Maynell KB, West W 3rd, Marek J, Wright B, Bodnar M, Le NK, Whalen K, Taylor L, Troy J, Smith D Jr, Laun J. Utilization of Topical Polysporin and Triamcinolone for the Treatment of Hypergranulation Tissue. J Burn Care Res. 2024 May 6;45(3):669-674. doi: 10.1093/jbcr/irad205. PMID: 38165005.
  3. Marek JC, Dumitriu Carcoana AO, West WJ 3rd, Weeden EE, Varadhan A, Cobb J, Cool S, Fishberger G, Chase CB, Dolorit M, Strang HE, Moodie CC, Garrett JR, Tew JR, Baldonado JJR, Fontaine JP, Toloza EM. Marital status shows no protective effect on perioperative outcomes after robotic-assisted pulmonary lobectomy. Surg Pract Sci. 2024 Apr 26;18:100250. doi: 10.1016/j.sipas.2024.100250. PMID: 39845427; PMCID: PMC11749171.
  4. Dumitriu Carcoana AO, Labib KM, Fiedler CR, Marek JC, Ladehoff LC, West WJ 3rd, Malavet JA, Doyle WN Jr, Moodie CC, Garrett JR, Tew JR, Baldonado JJAR, Fontaine JP, Toloza E. A High Preoperative Blood Urea Nitrogen to Serum Albumin Ratio Does Not Predict Worse Outcomes Following the Robotic-Assisted Pulmonary Lobectomy for Lung Cancer. Cureus. 2023 Dec 13;15(12):e50468. doi: 10.7759/cureus.50468. PMID: 38222193; PMCID: PMC10786433.
  5. Dumitriu Carcoana AO, Marek JC, West WJ 3rd, Fiedler CR, Doyle WN Jr, Labib KM, Ladehoff LC, Malavet JA, Fishberger G, Moodie CC, Garrett JR, Tew JR, Baldonado JJAR, Fontaine JP, Toloza EM. Residential Distance to the Cancer Center and Outcomes after Robotic-Assisted Pulmonary Lobectomy. Surg Pract Sci. 2023 Aug 25;15:100210. doi: 10.1016/j.sipas.2023.100210. PMID: 39844799; PMCID: PMC11749967.
  6. Doyle WN Jr, Nguyen D, West WJ 3rd, Fiedler CR, Labib KM, Ladehoff L, Dumitriu Carcoana AO, Marek JC, Malavet JA, Moodie CC, Garrett JR, Tew JR, Baldonado JJAR, Fontaine JP, Toloza EM. Changes in Perioperative Outcomes after Robotic-Assisted Pulmonary Lobectomy during the COVID-19 Era. Surg Pract Sci. 2023 Jun;13:100172. doi: 10.1016/j.sipas.2023.100172. Epub 2023 Apr 25. PMID: 37139165; PMCID: PMC10125211.
  7. Flores-Milan G, Cuello CC, Pressman E, Marek J, Krafft PR, McBride P, Gassie K, Hayman E, Alikhani P. Risk Factors for Adjacent Segment Disease in Short Segment Lumbar Interbody Fusion-A Case Series. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2023 Aug 1;25(2):136-141. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000000743. Epub 2023 May 10. PMID: 37163706.

Oral Presentations

  1. Marek JC, Dunoyer DeSegonzac B, Bagos-Estevez A, Singh P, Poonja S, Menezes L, Guerra L, Yalamanchili D. Protecting Refugee Populations Through Timely Immunizations at a Student-Run Free Clinic in South Florida. Oral presentation: UF Health Primary Care Innovations Conference; 03/22/2024. Gainesville , FL, United States of America.
  2. Rizk M, Marek JC, Gonzalez E, Narvarte H, Hanna K. A Case of Trigeminal Involvement of Varicella-Zoster Virus in the Dominican Republic. Oral presentation: Florida Medical Association David A. Paulus, MD Poster Symposium; 07/28/2023. Orlando , FL, United States of America.
  3. Dumitriu Carcoana AO, Fiedler CR, Nguyen D, Labib KM, West III WJ, Doyle Jr WN, Marek JC, Malavet J, Mhaskar R, Moodie CC, Garrett JR, Tew JR, Baldonado JJAR, Fontaine JP, Toloza EM. Effects of insurance type and distance from the cancer center on outcomes after robotic-assisted pulmonary lobectomy. Oral presentation: International College of Surgeons United States Section 84th Annual Surgical Update; 05/06/2023. San Antonio, TX, United States of America.
  4. Marek JC, Sribhibhadh T, Phanthong T, Lozonschi L, Komaenthammasophon C, Assawaworrarit P. Factors Influencing Low Organ Donor Registration Rates in Bangkok, Thailand are Not Religious in Nature. Oral presentation: Asian Transplantation Week; 11/17/2022. Seoul , Korea (The Republic of).
  5. Doyle Jr WN, Nguyen D, Marek JC, Malavet J, Dumitriu Carcoana AO, Mhaskar R, Garret JR, Moodie CC, Tew JR, Baldonado JJAR, Fontaine JP, Toloza EP. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Perioperative Outcomes after Robotic-Assisted Pulmonary Lobectomy. Oral presentation: Eastern Cardiothoracic Surgical Society (ECTSS); 10/06/2022. Miami , FL, United States of America.