Trainees

Meet the current trainees in the vascular surgery program at Saint Louis University's School of Medicine.

Candace Wulff, D.O.

PGY-7 Fellow

Hometown: Columbia, Missouri
Undergraduate: University of South Florida
Medical school: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Bradenton, Florida

Wulff completed her general surgery residency at the University of South Carolina. This is where she developed her passion for vascular surgery noting that she loved the wide breadth and complexity of procedures as well as the long-lasting patient relationships. She has two pets; a grumpy old Persian cat named Louie and an Italian Mastiff named Duke. Her hobbies outside of medicine include walks with Duke, exploring coffee shops, watching the sun rise and set, and cooking.

Timothy Chilton, D.O.

PGY-5

Hometown: Centennial, Colorado
Undergraduate: Creighton University (2014)
Medical School: Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Chilton’s first surgical operation was performed in a makeshift operating room in South America. His exposure to vascular procedures during medical school impacted his decision to pursue surgery. He is an avid musician and spends the majority of his free time writing and recording music. Most of his effort is focused on guitar, drums, bass and piano. He plays in a weekly soccer league, snowboards and coaches middle school wrestling.

Marguerite Ballou, M.D.

PGY-6 Fellow

Hometown: Covington, Virgina
Undergraduate: Roanoke College
Medical school: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Ballou completed her general surgery residency at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. An Appalachia native from the southwest mountains of Virginia, she felt drawn to the complexity of not only surgery but the healthcare disparities of vascular surgery patients during her time in general surgery residency. While at VCU, she participated in an honors program (i2CRP) dedicated to training students in identifying and managing an array of health care disparities. Ballou is passionate about health equity and addressing and understanding systemic issues at play, particularly in urban underserved settings. She is also passionate about women's health, racial equity and providing care to the LGBTQ+ community. When not in the hospital, she enjoys spending time with her dog, Moonshine; exploring the outdoors and hiking; and painting. She admires the diverse and welcoming environment at SLU and was attracted to the wide array of surgical training; particularly the high exposure to open vascular procedures.

Charles Marquardt, M.D.

PGY-4

Hometown: London, England
Undergraduate: Duke University
Medical school: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

During medical school, Marquardt produced podcasts on Death and Consciousness and Therapy Dogs. “Vascular surgery provides opportunities to be creative, adaptable, and innovative both in and out of the OR in a way that I have not experienced in other fields.” He enjoys fencing, writing fiction and music, clay pigeon shooting, fly fishing, racquet sports and metaphysics and philosophy.

Mark Awad, M.D.

PGY-3

Hometown: Staten Island, New York
Undergraduate: Fordham University – New York
Medical school: St. George’s University School of Medicine

Awad knew he wanted to be a vascular surgeon while in undergrad when a family crisis occurred. His experiences in medical school and at the Vascular Institute of New York confirmed his passion for vascular surgery. During his downtime, he enjoys reading non-fiction, weightlifting, cooking Middle Eastern cuisine and flying remote-controlled drones.

Pavitra Ravishankar, M.D.

PGY-2

Hometown: Fremont, California
Undergraduate: University of California - Davis
Medical school: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Ravishankar’s research interest includes endovascular intervention and effects of anti-TNF-alpha agents on post-op morbidity and mortality. She also enjoys the day-to-day diversity of vascular cases. Her hobbies include cooking international dishes, savory baking, knitting and running.

Michael Carey, M.D.

PGY-1

Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Austin, Cockrell School of Engineering
Medical school: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

Carey's background is in petroleum engineering and fluid dynamics with nearly a decade of industry and research experience before attending medical school. His interest in medicine began after learning about the continuous flow artificial heart, and he eventually chose vascular surgery because of how tightly interwoven fluid flow and engineering were into the specialty. His hobbies include cooking, tennis, cycling, skiing, hiking, and exploring the local farmer’s market with his significant other and dog. What he enjoys most about the SLU vascular program are his fellow trainees and enjoys spending time with them both during and after the workday.