Where I am from: I grew up in Lancaster, Massachusetts. I moved to Virginia to attend The College of William & Mary from 2009-2012 where I earned a degree in Neuroscience. Following undergraduate, I worked as a medical scribe for a year, then earned my M.D. from Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, Virginia (2013-2017). As a medical student, I completed a visiting rotation in pediatric neurology at Wash U and realized it was a great place to train.

Where I am going: I knew I was interested in pediatric Neuromuscular medicine when I applied to WashU. Thanks to welcoming mentors, I have had the privilege of researching the effects of gene therapy in patients with spinal muscular atrophy during my residency, a project I first became involved in during my PGY2 year. I am thrilled to have been accepted for a Neuromuscular fellowship here at WashU starting in 2022. I am also interested in medical education and would love to work with medical students and residents as part of my career.

Why I am here: The Program: As I evaluated my rank list, I realized that Wash U had to be number one. Saint Louis Children’s Hospital is high-volume and never has a shortage of pediatric neurology cases. We also have a huge department with faculty in every major subspecialty who are accessible to residents to staff our cases and teach us. After examining faculty lists from other programs around the country, I realized that pediatric neurology was born in Saint Louis. Our training is strong in all 3 programs we integrate into: pediatrics, adult neurology, and pediatric neurology.

The People: Residency is challenging. I wanted to attend a program where I was not the only resident in my class and could share my experience with others in my year. We mean a lot to each other here, and we work hard to set our rising counterparts up for success. I love my co-residents. You also want leadership that is going to support residents. Our program leadership protects its residents and is receptive to our ideas, making small changes regularly and big changes annually as our hospital and program grow. I am so happy that I matched here.

The Place: Saint Louis is affordable. As residents, we are set up for financial success by living here with a competitive salary. I love being able to enjoy the outdoors year-round. My husband and I love to hike, and there are dozens of places to hike less than an hour from where we live. Float trips are also popular. You can live in the hopping Central West End or the suburbs (and drive a whopping 8 minutes to work) like me, so there is something for everyone. Saint Louis is a great place to be!