Education and Training
College/University
Mississippi State University
Honors & Awards
Chief Resident- Durham VA, 2021-2022
Fellow Perspective
Tell us briefly about your background before fellowship?
In undergrad, I was a computer engineering major at Mississippi State University prior to making the decision to change career paths towards medicine. I pursued a Master of Science in Biology and Medical Science before attending U of Tennessee for medical school. I did my internal medicine residency training and chief residency at Duke, where I gained skills in clinical research through mentorship with Schuyler Jones.
What are your career plans in cardiology?
I plan to get advanced fellowship training to become an interventional cardiologist. I am also passionate about improving the care we provide to patients with coronary and peripheral artery disease through innovate clinical trials. On top of this, I hope to work towards improving the care we provide to our patients with health disparities and coronary/peripheral disease.
Why did you choose Duke for your fellowship training?
I chose to stay at Duke for my fellowship training because Duke offers a fantastic blend of opportunities pending your academic goals. For me, I will be trained by world leaders in their respective specialties while having the flexibility to be highly trained in clinical research at the DCRI. Our program leadership offers tremendous flexibility in building a training experience tailored to your needs as a trainee and really cares/supports you at each stage.
What advice might you offer residents looking at fellowship programs?
I would advise residents to look for a fellowship program that can meet their needs in regards to future career goals. Make sure that the program has the capacity and flexibility to accommodate your goals if they are not the "standard path". Also, be sure to find a place where attendings and fellows work cohesively and have high camaraderie to make training enjoyable and fun. All these things are offered in a cardiology training at Duke.
What do you enjoy doing in the Triangle area outside of work?
I love living in the Triangle for a variety of reasons. There are numerous amazing food options of all type. There are lots of outdoor options for hiking or water based fun. There is an abundance of good breweries around every corner. Raleigh has the vibes of a bigger city and Durham has that smaller city feel which both are super fun. Finally, it is easy to have a beach or mountain getaway with little driving or planning! The area is super affordable to live well on a trainee salary with space to do a variety of fun activities.