Start Year: 2021

Where is your hometown?

Xenia, Ohio

Where did you attend:

College/University: Case Western Reserve University
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University
Residency: Duke

Fellow Perspective:

Tell us briefly about your background before embarking on your medical training:

I am Ohio born and raised where I ran track in both high school and college. I was always interested in science and majored in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism in college before going straight through to medical school and residency. Then, I practiced as a hospitalist for 7 years before deciding to train in gastroenterology.

Please outline your career plans in gastroenterology (If you know it at this point in your training):

Still undifferentiated at this point but want to apply nutrition in my scope of practice. Good digestive health and nutrition are intimately related.

What were you looking for in a fellowship program?

• Mentorship and supportive faculty
• Diverse exposure to how GI is practiced across different clinical settings (i.e. Tertiary academic center vs VA Hospital vs Community)
• Given that I was undecided, it was important to me to have a place that was strong in many subdisciplines within GI.

What advice might you offer residents looking at fellowship programs?

• Happy fellows – For the most part, fellowship anywhere is going to be rigorous and challenging. Your co-fellows will become part of your support system.
• Quality > Quantity - I had a good friend who was a recent fellowship graduate who told me to focus on a place that provided a diverse spectrum of clinical cases and challenges when it came to endoscopy instead of just sheer numbers that some programs may report their fellows average.
• Administration and Program leadership are responsive to feedback with evidence of recent changes – No program is going to be perfect, and every program is/should be a work in progress. I think a program that genuinely listens to trainees’ feedback should get special recognition. 

From your experience in fellowship, what have you learned about training at Duke?

Fortunately, I was able to get a special insight into the program since I trained here for residency. The faculty want you to excel. There is also good retention of fellows who become faculty later.

How is your life in the Triangle area outside of work?

There is life outside of work! What is nice about the triangle is that the three major cities (Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh) that are reasonably close to one another and an easy drive. Each city has its own vibe and strength depending on what mood you are in.

What is your favorite restaurant in Durham?

Oh man, this is a hard one because the food scene in the triangle is not lacking. I am a big foodie and I feel like at this point I have not surveyed a fair share of places to crown any winners. I will say places like Mateo (Spanish Tapas), Alpacha (Peruvian) and Big Mikes (Southern BBQ/Comfort food) sure take the lead.

Aside from travel, reading, and cooking...what is a hobby or interest outside of work?

Hiking and photography