Start Year: 2020
Basics
Hometown
Durham, NC
Where did you attend university/college?
Emory University
Where did you attend medical school?
Duke University
What are your career goals?
Unsure at this time but leaning hospitalist vs pulmonary/critical care.
Reflections on the Duke Program
What were you looking for in a residency program?
I was looking for a program with high academic and professional standards for it's residents that also promoted a community of team work and patient focused care. I wanted a program that prioritized patient well being above all else and where all team members work collaboratively to achieve that goal.
What are the strengths of the Duke Program?
Duke Internal Medicine is an exceptionally supportive program. All members of the team are valued from the environmental services staff, to the medical students, to the attendings and hospital leadership. Specifically, the internal medicine residency leadership is fully supportive of each trainee as a medical provider, a community member and a unique individual. Duke allows residents to work with patients of all backgrounds and is actively working to be a positive and helpful member of the surrounding Durham community. Finally, you can't walk down any hallways without a friendly wave, smile or hello which never fails to improve even my best days.
What are your observations about the relationships between faculty and house staff?
Faculty who work with house staff have prioritized education as an important part of their career. This shines through in their excitement to teach and focus on helping house staff teams provide high quality care as a guide. Faculty at Duke are humble, look to learn along side their teams, and are willing to engage in discussions around difficult care choices that ultimately improve the quality of care our patients receive.
Tell us about your co-residents. What has helped you connect, support each other, and form friendships?
My co-residents are all interesting, friendly and thoughtful people. We have all taken steps out of our comfort zones to connect via Zoom or in socially distant groups with masks over any and all common interests. Everyone is humble and willing to learn, which means we get to laugh about our mistakes and celebrate new accomplishments. The logistics of connecting have changed, but the culture of collaboration and support for each other has definitely carried us through.
About Duke University and Durham
What is the best thing about living in Durham and the Triangle?
Durham has so many outdoor options (hiking, biking, running and tub floating) and access to a variety of high quality restaurant and brewery options.
Where did you choose to live and why?
I live in Southwest Durham. We bought a house just prior to beginning residency and found a neighborhood with quick access to Duke while still giving us plenty of space and a fenced in back yard!
What advice would you give to someone looking to move to Durham?
There are many options for places to live from fairly rural to high rise, luxury apartments. Take a few minutes to see what options are there for your personal living preference, or as any of the current house staff for advice.
What are your interests outside of medicine?
Watching sports (preferably in person or at a brewery with friends), exercising, reading young adult fiction, watching comedies and spending time outdoors with my husband and family.