Start Year: 2021
Basics
Hometown
Charleston, SC
Where did you attend college/university?
Princeton University
Where did you attend medical school?
Medical University of South Carolina
What are your career goals?
I am interested in Oncology & Palliative Care.
"Duke has really matched my high expectations! I love that the leaders and faculty are so approachable even though many of them are stars in their fields. Dr. Zaas is absolutely a strength of the program and sets the tone for the culture."
-Shannon McGue
Reflections on the Duke Program
What were you looking for in a residency program?
I wanted to find a program with a strong clinical focus that felt friendly, warm, and non-hierarchical.
What are the strengths of the Duke Program?
Duke has really matched my high expectations! I love that the leaders and faculty are so approachable even though many of them are stars in their fields. Dr. Zaas is absolutely a strength of the program and sets the tone for the culture. I also appreciate that attendings and residents are attentive to the background factors affecting patients' health. We devoted a lot of time on gen med rounds to discussing patients' living situations and insurance coverage, which made me feel more confident that we were serving them appropriately.
What are your observations about the relationships between faculty and house staff?
Based on my first rotations, I really appreciate that faculty treat residents as colleagues. Attendings listen to your clinical opinions, ask about your interests, and share stories from their personal lives.
Tell us about your co-residents. What has helped you connect, support each other, and form friendships?
I love that my co-residents are so enthusiastic about medicine and residency training. We had a lot of social events at the beginning of residency ranging from hikes to drinks.
What has surprised you most about Duke?
I was told multiple times that I would be well-supported at the beginning of intern year, but I was still surprised to experience it! On my first rotation, the senior resident let me take responsibility for the majority of patient care after the first few days, but he still checked in frequently about what was on my to-do list to make sure that I was able to leave at sign-out every day. The senior and attending separately took me and the other intern for Starbucks runs to ask about how we were adjusting.
About Duke University and Durham
What is the best thing about living in Durham and the Triangle?
I appreciate how easy it is to live here! Everything I want is within a 15 minute drive, many areas are walkable, and there are so many good and relatively inexpensive restaurants.
Where did you choose to live and why?
I live in Trinity Park near Duke East campus which I like because I can walk to both 9th Street and downtown. Plus the neighborhood is adorable.
What are your interests outside of medicine?
I have very easy interests: running, camping, traveling, and trying new restaurants.