Start Year: 2020
Basics
Hometown
Austin, TX
Where did you attend university/college?
University of Texas at Austin
Where did you attend medical school?
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
If applicable, what other degrees do you hold and from what institutions?
Masters of Public Health - UT Health School of Public Health, Houston, TX
What are your career goals?
I'm planning on specializing in cardiology with a focus on preventative cardiology.
Reflections on the Duke Program
What were you looking for in a residency program?
I wanted a program that had a multi-hospital system, similar to my own home institution (private, public, VA). I wanted a larger Academic program with a good track record of sending residents to great Cards programs. Most importantly, I wanted a program that was committed to diversity, whose efforts were reflected in the diversity of the house staff, leadership, and faculty.
What are the strengths of the Duke Program?
Some of the major strengths of the Duke program that stood out to me on my interview day were the culture of support, from the leadership down to each member of the house staff. Everyone seemed to generally want the other one to succeed. The ability to learn from some of the foremost thinkers in the healthcare field is also a wonderful opportunity.
What are your observations about the relationships between faculty and house staff?
The faculty here seem so genuinely open to teaching. Everyone I have worked with so far has been incredibly supportive of my growth as a clinician. I work in an environment where I never feel ashamed or embarrassed to say "I don't know" or to ask questions, which I believe is so paramount for learning.
Tell us about your co-residents. What has helped you connect, support each other, and form friendships?
My co-residents are awesome! Starting residency in the midst of a pandemic has obviously made the "getting to know you" phase of intern year a bit difficult to say the least, but I am really impressed by how many impromptu Zoom sessions and *socially distanced* small social gatherings we've been able to have. I think the leadership did a really good job of picking genuinely down to earth, cool, fun, and interesting people. Coming from out of state, I was a bit worried that I would have trouble connecting with people, but I'm so happy to say that I've been proven wrong, and can't wait to continue getting to know my co-residents!
About Duke University and Durham
What has surprised you most about Duke?
Duke has a strong reputation as a powerhouse academic center and a top ranking Internal Medicine program, so to say I was slightly intimidated when I interviewed here would be an understatement. Whatever my initial assumptions were, I was blown away by how down to earth and supportive the program was/is. It's great to have the best of both worlds in my opinion!
What is the best thing about living in Durham and the Triangle?
The trees! We don't have trees like this in Texas and it gives the whole area such a cozy feel.
How does the Triangle appeal to people of diverse backgrounds?
From what I've experienced so far, the Triangle is an incredibly diverse place. There's a huge contingent of higher education here due to the multiple universities and, aside from healthcare, big industries like tech, business, and pharma have brought people from all over the world here. Even more so, Durham itself has a rich history from its huge, established African American community and I'm excited to learn more as I continue my training here.
Where did you choose to live and why?
I chose to live at Solis Patterson Place because it fit my criteria: within my budget, > 600 sq feet, less than 15 min from work, super modern with nice appliances, has an elevator, and an Amazon Hub.
What advice would you give to someone looking to move to Durham?
You don't have to spend a crazy amount of money and live downtown if you want a nice apartment. Also, expand you search to the surrounding areas! Commuting <15 min is really not too bad and you can save some money too!