PGY1

Where I am from: I grew up in Minneapolis, MN before heading off to middle-of-nowhere Iowa to attend undergrad at Grinnell College and major in Chemistry. I then moved to Northern California where I worked in higher education for a couple of years. Here, I learned I liked working with kids and their families as they navigate big life changes. I also realized I wanted to stay in the academic setting because I like working with other curious individuals who are similarly drawn to academic spaces. Ultimately, I had always wanted to become a doctor and so I left that job and California to return to Iowa for medical school where I discovered the field of child neurology and quickly realized it was exactly the medical specialty I was looking for.

Where I am going: I am so excited to be at WashU now for residency because of the opportunities to explore all aspects of child neurology as a resident. At this point I am not sure exactly where in child neurology I will end up, so I am grateful for opportunities during my intern year to become acclimated to general pediatric neurology clinic, inpatient neurology, and subspecialty neurology clinics to increase my exposure to the many different paths I can take as a child neurologist. In addition to clinical work, I am interested in medical education and plan to pursue a career in academic child neurology where I can work closely with medical students and residents.

Why I am here: I did an away rotation at St. Louis Children's Hospital as a fourth-year medical student and absolutely loved it here. Everyone was extremely welcoming and eager to teach. I knew I wanted to train at a tertiary care center where I would learn by doing and have exposure to a broad variety of pathology, which I've definitely found here. I've felt well-supported as a resident and am well-integrated into both the pediatric and child neurology departments. Before residency started, I was worried about feeling separated from the child neurology part of my training while completing my general pediatrics years, but that has not been the case here! I have had many opportunities to connect with the child neurology department whether through social events with other residents, one-on-one meetings with child neurology mentors, and weekly neuro clinic with my co-interns. I've also enjoyed living in St. Louis. This is a really fun city - there are many awesome bars and restaurants, I love going to the Tower Grove Farmer's Market on my Saturdays off, and there are free events going on all the time because of funding St. Louis has to support access to arts and culture. I live near the hospital which has been really convenient both for work and hanging out with my co-residents. Housing is affordable and the surrounding neighborhood has several good restaurants and nice areas to walk, including Forest Park!

Where I am from: I grew up in Lower Merion (a suburb of Philadelphia). For college I attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT where I majored in Biology and played on the women’s soccer team. I then attended medical school at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia. Between my third and fourth year of medical school I spent two dedicated research years in a translational research lab with a focus on identification of miRNA biomarkers in biofluids for pediatric brain tumors. This is where I both discovered and fell in love with child neurology.

Where I am going: Currently, I am interested in neuro-oncology and neurocritical care. I am passionate about translational/clinical research and advocating for patients and their families. I have enjoyed my experiences with research thus far and hope to incorporate it into my future career.

Why I am here: I wanted a program where I would have a broad and in-depth exposure to both clinical and research aspects of child neurology. It was also important to me to be surrounded by people that are supportive, collaborative, excited by their work, and enjoy teaching others – all of which I found at WashU. I had never spent time in St. Louis prior to residency, and while I have only been here a few months, I have already grown to love it. It is an area that is easy to live in and everything is close by.

Where I am from: I'm from Southeast Texas and I've lived in Texas almost my entire life. I went to undergrad at The University of Texas at Dallas where I majored in Biochemistry, followed by medical school at UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School. I decided it was time to live and work somewhere new, and it's been an exciting journey so far!

Where I am going: I haven't decided if I will subspecialize or practice general pediatric neurology. I am interested in working in an academic environment. I also love both patient and training education, which I hope to be involved in further in the future! Another population in my heart is Spanish-speaking patients, so it would be wonderful to continue to practice with them in mind.

Why I am here: I am so happy to be at WashU! I think it was the perfect choice for me with a large and interesting patient population, exciting advancements in patient care, and quality education. St. Louis is also a great city, with way more to do and see than I had expected. I love my house and neighborhood, and I'm always discovering new things happening around me! The food scene is also pretty impressive. Lastly, I am glad to be with my wonderful cohort - some of the smartest and most caring people I've met!

Where I am from: I was born and raised in Thailand and graduated from Khon Kaen University Medical School. I have been drawn to pediatrics and neurology since my medical school days.

Why I am here: Washington University in St. Louis is renowned for its high-quality education, and its Child Neurology department is equally esteemed. I was warmly welcomed during my interviews with faculty and residents. St. Louis's blend of natural beauty and urban amenities is also appealing.

Where I am going: I am intrigued by the fields of epilepsy and genetics. I have always been fascinated by cutting-edge technology and knowledge in neurology, especially advancements in epilepsy treatment, and the progression of genetic diagnostics and treatment. However, I am still being openminded and would like to explore further subspecialties during my residency. Additionally, I am interested in global health, with a desire to connect with my homeland and a teaching pathway to pursue an academic career.

Where I am from: I grew up just outside of St. Louis in Edwardsville, Illinois. I went to college at the University of Kentucky, where I earned degrees in Biology and Chemistry. I also studied in French, Art Studio and Neuroscience in college. I came back to St. Louis for my two gap years doing research at WashU; the first year I worked in a genetics lab studying transcription factor binding, and the second year I worked at Mallinckrodt doing neuroimaging processing for a few large Alzheimer's studies, including the DIAN and ADNI projects. I then moved back to Kentucky for medical school at University of Kentucky.

Where am I going: I am interested in neonatal neurology and neurocritical care. I love that these fields offer the opportunity to build longitudinal relationships with my patients and their families. I also enjoy medical education and clinical research and would love to integrate both into my career.

Why I am here: My husband and I both grew up in Edwardsville (high school sweethearts), so the greater St. Louis area has always been home to us. After having 2 kids in medical school and moving for residency with a 3 year old and a 4 month old, we knew we wanted to move closer to our families for support. I was able to do two visiting rotations with the pediatric neurology team here as an M4 and I knew immediately that WashU was a good fit for me. I was so impressed and excited by the huge gamut of pathologies I was able to learn from, from "bread and butter" general neurology cases to incredibly rare and complex pathologies. Knowing that I wanted to pursue neonatal neurology, I was excited that WashU had a separate neonatal team and also had a fellowship, which very few programs have. Every faculty member I worked with during my visiting rotations was so welcoming, supportive (especially as I was pregnant on my rotations!) and eager to teach. Many of the faculty also have younger children, and they were incredibly supportive about me entering residency with two young children. All the residents were so kind and welcoming to me as a medical student and I could tell how close they all were, which is something I was looking for in residency. I was thrilled to open my letter on match day and learn I would get to be a part of this amazing group of people!