PGY5

Where I am from: I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. I attended Claremont McKenna College in Southern California for college and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago for medical school.

Where I am going: I am excited to be staying at Washington University for a Pediatric Epilepsy fellowship next year! I hope to focus on ICU-EEG and pursue further training in neuro-critical care. Ultimately, I hope to return to Hawaii and serve the children of Hawaii with epilepsy and other neurological disease, as well as advocate for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health.

Why I am here: Washington University is a phenomenal institution and has such a rich history within the field of Child Neurology. I knew that this program had so much to offer from an academic and research perspective. I knew that I would work with and be mentored by some of the most renowned pediatric neurologists in the country. While all those things were reinforced throughout my interview days, what stuck with me most about my interview experience was the pre-interview dinner that I attended at Dr. Gurnett’s home. The environment was so welcoming, and the camaraderie between residents and attendings was evident. My Pediatric Neurology family has made St. Louis feel like a home away from home!

Where I am from:  I was born and raised in Poland and moved to the U.S. with my family when I was a teenager. I continued to move about to work and study in Illinois and more recently in Texas. I’m glad to be in the center of it all now, and I look forward to experiencing the seasons again!

Where I am going:  I really enjoy topics of neurodevelopment and neuro-oncology. I’m very excited at the prospect of continuing research and creating evidence- based improvement in care and quality of services for those patient populations.

Why I am here:  I remember the strong and undeniable feeling of belonging on the day of my interview. The generous and genuine hospitality and warm welcome from everyone in the child neurology program was unrivaled and left a profound impression on me. It remained unchanged after my departure and only strengthened in follow-up communications. I felt calm and confident that I would find a sense of family and strong mentorship in this community and that I would enter a supportive environment where I could evolve and grow as a clinician and scientist. I was unsure of what my transition to St. Louis would be like given very unique global circumstances. I quickly discovered that the city and surrounding areas have so much to offer, even amidst a pandemic. There is ample green space, be it in the city or in the many beautiful state parks. Hiking, outdoor yoga, foraging for wild mushrooms and archery are some of my favorite adventures, so far!

Where I am from: I am from Albany, NY, with a brief stint in northern Michigan where I attended an arts boarding school. I received my Bachelor of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, studying French horn performance. I stayed in Rochester for medical school at the University of Rochester where I was part of the Medical Education Pathway and Academic Research Track. A few months into my research year-out, I decided to pursue a PhD and joined the Rochester MSTP. During my PhD, I studied the mechanisms underlying musician dystonia and related movement disorders using functional MRI to examine brain network architecture.

Where I am going: I plan to pursue a fellowship in movement disorders and am interested in a career in academic medicine as a physician scientist.

Why I am here: WashU is a vibrant, rigorous program with a rich history of leadership in child neurology and both clinical and academic excellence. The residents and faculty have a rich diversity in backgrounds and interests. The faculty are incredibly supportive, and I am confident they would move mountains to support our wellness and ambitions. Even though moving cities and starting residency in the time of COVID-19 is hard, the neuro family here has made me feel welcome and supported in the transition. I am loving residency so far and am thrilled to be here for the next five years. On a personal level, I can’t wait for the social dance scene in St. Louis to open back up when safe as the abundance of live music and fun, free social dancing opportunities here are super impressive. In the meantime, I enjoy going for hikes, playing my horn and hanging with friends in my free time.

Where I am from: I grew up in a small town called Worthington in rural Minnesota. I got my bachelor’s degree with double major in biochemistry and math from a small liberal arts college called Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. I then went to medical school at Rosalind Franklin University in the Chicago suburbs.

Where I am going: Through the broad exposure during my training at Wash U, I have realized that I love treating patients with a variety of conditions, inpatient and outpatient! My interests range from epilepsy and neurocritical care, neuroimmunology, to neurogenetics, movement and headache. I couldn't pick just one area, so I will be practicing general child neurology at a smaller academic institution after graduation!

Why I am here: I took a somewhat roundabout path into pediatric neurology. I actually initially matched into the categorical peds program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. I didn’t have much exposure to pediatric neurology in medical school but was attracted to the peds program for the volume and diversity of pathology, the supportive co-resident culture, and for the mid-sized, affordable city with lots to offer. While rotating on the pediatric neurology floor during my first year, I found myself reading articles at home every night after long days at the hospital, and I realized that neurology really encompassed everything I loved about medicine, and truly had the most interesting patients! The things that initially drew me to the categorical peds program are even more true about pediatric neurology. We see so many interesting and unique cases, have every opportunity to be involved with research and are allowed increasing autonomy as the years progress to set us up for success after graduation. Not only are the other residents extremely supportive, but the faculty go above and beyond to welcome residents and are always excited about teaching. I have never hesitated to call an attending, or just stop by their office to chat about a patient. It is also an incredible opportunity to train with a strong adult neurology program. This program prepares you very well for any fellowship or practice type you could imagine!

Where am I from: Born and raised in Amman, the capital of Jordan. I completed medical school at the Hashemite University, which is in a different city, Al-Zarqa.

Where I am going: Originally, I was thinking about pursing a fellowship in either epilepsy or neuroimmunology, but I realized that I’d rather explore all my options during residency before deciding on what I want to do next.

Why am I here: I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to St. Louis. It is diverse, welcoming and has a lot to offer. I was also impressed with the program on many levels. It has all the components of an excellent residency: a large patient population, state of the art facilities, tremendous learning and teaching opportunities, great mentorship and most importantly a collegial and supportive environment.