Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia
College/University: Virginia Tech
Medical School: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine & Research Institute

 

I’m interested in pursuing a fellowship in Palliative Medicine after graduating residency.

 

COVID-19 prohibited pretty much all traveling, so I took the time to relax, unwind, spend time with my family, and to finally play through the backlog of games I got during Steam sales.

 

I’m a huge nerd! My favorite way to unwind after a shift is playing video games. When my friends and I both have days off together, nothing beats a dinner and board game night. I also play Dungeons & Dragons with other members of our residency.

I wanted a program that allowed me to take care of sick patients as an intern. I specifically looked favorably on programs where second year residents gave procedures to interns. I also wanted a program where the graduates are successful: I specifically looked at where graduates got jobs across the nation and what percentage passed boards on the first attempt.

 

What are the strengths of the Pitt EM program? 

Our program leadership cares and advocates for us. We have ample opportunity to do all manner of procedures, and we build comfort with our procedural skills quickly. Our prehospital experience with the Jeep during our second and third years is unique to our program and helps us care for critically ill patients with just the supplies in the bag we bring with us to a scene.

 

We’re a mix of people from all across the nation. We all come from different backgrounds, but we clicked and connected almost instantly. You know it’s a good sign when you feel comfortably joking around with each other the second week into the year. Our program builds time for us to get together and connect with each other outside of work, which is unique from what I’ve seen from other programs.

 

How well our program prepares us to practice emergency medicine: from your first shift as an intern, you’ll be managing critically ill patients (with appropriate attending supervision, don’t worry!) We have ample opportunity for procedures, and I take it as a great sign when second-year residents seek out interns to do procedures, which happens all the time here.

Pittsburgh is a great city with all the amenities cities offer, like fantastic restaurants, breweries, sports, and concerts. But we’re also just about an hour away from a popular ski resort, as well as great hiking spots when you want to escape the city for a bit.

 

I’m living in Lawrenceville. It’s one of the younger (read: yuppie/hipster) areas of town and is within walking distance of great restaurants and farmers’ markets. My house is also within walking distance of Butler Street and the Strip, which are two major attractions here in Pittsburgh.

 

Pittsburgh is really a city made up of smaller neighborhoods and districts. No matter what you like to do for fun, you will find it here. If you’re interested in learning about the different areas of Pittsburgh, Dean Bog on YouTube has a video series of neighborhood tours that is exceptional.