October 15, 2025
Meet Daniel Pereira, MD, PGY-5
2025 Chief Resident
Where are you from? 
It's an interesting question because my family moved around a lot when I was young. I was actually raised in Colombia, South America up until I turned eight. In 2000, my family immigrated to Decatur, Alabama as my father had been recruited and hired to start a hispanic church among Spanish speaking immigrants in North Alabama. So, despite these moves, I probably claim Decatur as my hometown which purports to have had the first, not the best or the biggest, wave pool in the country. That could be wrong, in which case I would say that NASA is close by.
What made you choose orthopedics as a specialty?
The cliche would be to say that it had to do with soccer, which I sort of played club for briefly in college, or with music which I initially was going to major in. But the reality is that I chose Orthopedics because it is awesome and viscerally I feel energized and engaged when I am doing it. In short, it makes me happy.
Do you plan on pursuing a subspecialty area of focus?
Yes, I am going to train as an Orthopedic Traumatologist at Vanderbilt University next year. I hope to use this experience at this prestigious university to jumpstart an academic career in Trauma.
Why WashU?
We are all competitive humans in ortho, and when I heard that WashU was the best, I naturally wanted to match here. What I found, however, was that it was a perfect combination for me. It has the reps, it has the master surgeons, it has the career opportunities, and it has the mentors. I connected with the residents here immediately as well and I would pick it as my number one over and over again.
Is there a patient who had a lasting impact on you?
I remember a patient who had an ankle fracture at work. It was the first ankle fracture surgery I had done with guarded autonomy. With the watching guidance of my trauma mentors nearby, I pieced the fractures back together from start to finish. I truly felt like I had done it on my own and it was perfect in my eyes. The patient went on to have an excellent recovery. I still have the Xrays framed in my study as a reminder of the importance of what we do and what I was able to accomplish through my training.
What's the best advice you've ever received?
If there is something wrong around you or if you are unhappy with the way things are going, you are always the most common denominator. Don't blame your surroundings, see what you can do about it. More often than not, it's something you are doing that needs to change. Take accountability.
What's your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I love my family and my church. Some of my most cherished moments are taking my daughters on a hike, or camping, or to the pool. When I was a junior resident, on my post call days, I would take them to a local park connected to a brewery and enjoy a sleepy cold-brew while pushing my daughters on the swing. Those days made all the difference.
If you weren't a physician, what would you like to be doing?
Good question. I would probably would have tried to pursue music more seriously. I once thought I would audition to play the drums for my favorite band NeedToBreathe.
Anything else you'd like to share?
How a person does something, is how they do everything. I have been far, far from perfect but I have stuck to a personal mission to do everything I do with as much energy, passion, and meticulousness as I can. I think that if you start with this frame in mind, you can do great things. At the same time, a hard lesson for me to also learn are the boundaries of your own limitations and that burn out is real. It is important also to rest. So, find what matters to you, for me it has been my faith in God and the companionship and comfort of my family and friends. And, always keep going back to the source to nourish you so you can get back to our work with renewed energy.
Learn why patients choose WashU Medicine Orthopedics, request an appointment online or call (314) 514-3500.