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About Me
Undergraduate: Indiana University, Purdue University Indianapolis
Medical School: University of Alabama Birmingham School of Medicine
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine at Texas Children's Hospital, Dr. Kelly DeScioli Global Child Health Pediatrics Residency Program
Medical Areas of Interest: Pediatric cardiology, post cardiothoracic surgery outcomes
Interests & Hobbies: being a dad, hiking, running, biking, traveling abroad, baking
Hometown: Fishers, Indiana
Why Utah Pediatric cardiology? Utah’s Pediatric cardiology fellowship program offers the unique opportunity of a large referral center with a five-state catchment area. This is in conjunction with a minimal fourth-year fellow presence, allowing for maximal autonomy and hands-on training with complex patients. Throughout residency, I came to realize I learned best by doing and by being regularly challenged - I knew I would get exactly that at Primary Children’s. Further, the faculty is full of nationally and internationally renown physicians and researchers on both the cardiology and cardiovascular intensivist side. It quickly became clear to me on my interview day that these same experts were humble and offered readily accessible knowledge and mentoring. Lastly, living in Utah offers ease of access to a slew of quick and beautiful getaways, offering catharsis after challenging months learning and caring for complex patients.
What is your favorite part about our program? From the outset, it has been clear how down to earth each faculty member and fellow is. Everyone is so approachable and is clearly and genuinely happy to be here in Utah and working at Primary Children’s. People have hobbies and yet are still hardworking and clearly love what they do. It’s a positively contagious environment.
What is your favorite part about living in Salt Lake City?I was pleasantly surprised to find the diversity of food scene here in Salt Lake. Essentially all of my go to cuisine, from Peruvian to Thai to Szechuan, I can always find a few great options for what I’m craving. There is also no shortage of bubble tea offerings, a true staple of my diet.
What cool research/advocacy/education/scholarly work are you participating in? I am currently wrapping up projects started during the tail end of my residency, focusing on in-hospital outcomes in postoperative single ventricle patients with systemic-to-pulmonary shunts for pulmonary-dependent blood flow.
What is something you didn't know before coming to Utah that you wish you did? I honestly don’t have a great answer for this question. Everything in Utah has just been a welcome surprise.
What are your plans following fellowship? Following fellowship I anticipate I will do additional training, either in electrophysiology or completing a critical care fellowship. I anticipate my experiences over this next year and my mentors will help guide me to the best fit.