Why UTSW Psychiatry?

I grew up in California and had always planned to return to be closer to my family after finishing medical school in Texas. At the start of interview season, I drafted my rank list with California schools as my top 5, not expecting virtual interviews to change my mind. However, my experience with UTSW left me feeling especially warm, happy, cared for as a person, and excited about residency.

The residents at the virtual social hour were so diverse, with various interests both in and outside of work. They seemed like people I would enjoy working with but also want to be friends with. They were so reassuring and tried to ease any anxieties we might have about our interviews the next day. On interview day, I quickly realized they were right. Every interviewer had clearly read through my application and expressed genuine interest in getting to know me as a person. Dr. Brenner, our program director, quickly made me feel comfortable, and I was able to share very personal experiences that have shaped who I am today. By the end of the day, I had a gut feeling that being at UTSW would offer me a supportive environment, with kind co-residents and faculty who genuinely wanted to know me and help me succeed.

UTSW stayed at the top of my list throughout the rest of the interview season. My partner happened to start a job in Fort Worth, which was also a major reason I wanted to come to Dallas for residency. Now that I am here, I am grateful every day for this decision. I get to work with such wonderful people who are always eager to support me and my growth. Being able to train at such diverse sites and have access to so many experts in every niche of psychiatry is a huge strength of the program! My co-residents are all incredibly passionate about psychiatry but also lead fulfilling personal lives. I love the work-life balance I have been able to strike and have plenty of time to spend with my partner. Dallas has two major airports, so it is easy to fly anytime and visit my family. I am already learning and growing so much as a psychiatrist and person in the few months I’ve been here and cannot wait to see what the next few years hold--I already know they will fly by!

Career Goals

I came into residency with interests all over the place: community psychiatry, women’s mental health, transitional age youth, psychotherapy, etc. In medical school, I had mostly only experienced outpatient psychiatry and envisioned myself doing that, but I have loved my inpatient rotations here. Getting the chance to teach students at UTSW has also been super rewarding. My interests are still all over the place, but luckily I’m early in my residency and excited to explore all the options. UTSW has such a diverse range of faculty that I know I will be able to find mentorship and guidance anywhere my interests take me.

Education

Undergraduate: University of Southern California - Bachelor of Science, Human Biology

Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Science Center (Lubbock), MD/MBA