I grew up in Los Angeles, California & attended Stanford University for undergrad. I loved it so much I stayed for medical school. I was fortunate to match here at MSKCC and have loved my experience in New York City so far. I will be doing my ophthalmology residency back in California at UCLA.
The transitional year here at MSKCC has been a wonderful and truly unique experience. I was initially hesitant to apply so far from home and deal with moving cross country, but it was by far the best choice I could have made. The attendings here are very approachable, knowledgeable, and enjoy teaching. The ancillary staff is the best I have ever worked with. In addition, the three months elective was a huge draw for me, particularly with my interest in ophthalmology. While rotating through ophthalmology for one month I saw more cases of retinoblastoma and eye melanoma than I can imagine seeing during the rest of my career. The residency program director is also very supportive and makes an enormous effort to accommodate to our interests and ensure that we have a positive training experience. Last but certainly not least, I have had time during outpatient months and occasionally during ward months to explore New York City from attending summer concerts in the park to taking trips to see my first fall foliage. One of my quests is to find the best cupcakes and bagels in NYC. Yum! I cannot say how I will fare in the winter as a west coaster but I have been very happy so far and cannot imagine training in a more stimulating environment or city.