Med-Peds Residents

Hometown: Jefferson City, MO
Medical School: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Buis Creek, NC
After Residency: We’ll see… currently thinking either combined Med-Peds hospitalist, pediatric hospitalist, or outpatient adolescent medicine + transitional medicine. I’m definitely thankful for the flexibility afforded by a Med-Peds residency as someone who hadn’t made up their mind prior to starting residency.
Hobbies/Interests:Love playing volleyball and watching Mizzou’s sports teams compete. I also have family nearby and really enjoy getting to spend time with them during my time off.
Bio: I grew up in the capital of Missouri, Jefferson City. My interest in pursuing a career in healthcare started from a young age after seeing my older sister become a physical therapist and spending time with my uncles, as one is an internal medicine physician and the other is a periodontist. I decided to go to Mizzou for undergrad because I loved the area and the local sports teams. Ended up majoring in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology. I spent some time working on family medicine and psychology research during a couple gap years after graduating, then I went out to North Carolina for medical school at Campbell University and absolutely loved my time there. It was during clinical rotations there that I decided to pursue a Med-Peds residency. I knew loved pediatrics, but there was something about the ability to continue to see patients (especially those chronic pediatric health conditions) after they aged out that was really enticing about Med-Peds. There were also some super talented and smart physicians that influenced my decision along the way. Mizzou is an awesome place to go for residency! The attendings you get to work with are some of the nicest you will ever meet. The faculty care so much about you and will do anything necessary for you to succeed. Our coordinator Megan is awesome and is another person that will go above and beyond for you. The new children’s hospital is gorgeous and being the closest children’s hospital for a large portion of the state means you will see a wide variety of pathologies. On the adult side, the university hospital and VA are amazing places to learn too. Furthermore, Columbia has a great cost of living. It’s clean and a safe place to live. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, parks, hiking trails, and anything else that you might want to do. Overall, the Med-Peds program here is like a second family and it will put you in a great position to succeed wherever your career may take you!

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Hometown: Guadalajara, Mexico
Medical School: University of Missouri-Columbia
Career/Research Interests: I like a little bit of everything! Trying to keep an open mind and see where residency takes me
After Residency: I like being in the hospital, so I will probably end up in an inpatient fellowship
Hobbies/Interests: I like cooking with my fiancée, spending time with our dog Paco and binge-watching TV shows on my days off
Bio: I grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico and moved to the U.S. after I graduated high school to come to medical school here. I knew very early on in my life that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. I went to undergrad at UC San Diego where I also got my M.S. degree in molecular biology doing colon cancer research. I then moved to Columbia for medical school where I met my fiancée and we both decided to stay in residency here because we had such a good clinical experience during medical school at Mizzou. Mizzou was a good residency fit for me because of how welcoming the staff are, the diversity of patient populations we see and I felt like I belonged in the Med-Peds program! I chose Med-Peds because I was that one student that enjoyed every single rotation. I like to see a little bit of everything and I knew I wanted to be able to take care of all age-ranges and a wide range of complexity in patient cases with a bigger focus on inpatient care. I also liked how small Med Peds classes are because it is important for me to feel supported and be close with my co-residents.

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Hometown:& Kogi State, Nigeria
Medical School: All Saints University School of Medicine, Roseau Dominica
After Residency: Fellowship most likely. Still deciding.
Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy music, love singing and I am hoping to learn an instrument soon. Most likely the guitar. I also enjoy the outdoors and like to take long walks and play tennis.
Bio: I grew up in Kano, Nigeria. I started my undergraduate studies, completing most of my pre-med courses at Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti, and then attended All Saints University, Dominica. I moved around the Caribbean a little, living in Dominica and St. Vincent. I grew up around medicine with both of my parents in healthcare. They were involved in medical education and rural community outreaches. And from very early on, I became interested in medicine because I could see the difference I believed they made. I loved watching patient-doctor interactions and could not imagine myself doing anything else. I chose med-peds because of the extensive training it offers and because I want to be able to care for adults and children wherever I may go. I liked that it's more of inpatient medicine and that I also get to experience outpatient medicine. I chose Mizzou because I believed it would challenge and expose me to the training I need. I felt so much warmth during my interview, and the residents and faculty were people I wanted to work with and learn from. I liked the family-like and supportive atmosphere of the program and the people that make up the Mizzou med-peds residency.

Hometown: Izmir, Turkey
Medical School: Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
After Residency: Still exploring the opportunities, maybe outpatient or locum tenens for a while, then a nephrology fellowship.
Hobbies/Interests: Kickboxing, pickleball, traveling, dancing, and painting.
Bio: I was raised in Izmir , a Mediterranean town with beautiful beaches and some Ancient Greek ruins, and completed my medical education in Ankara, the capital of Turkey . During my medical education, I discovered my interest in different cultures and foreign lands. I learned German for a couple of years and visited several places in Germany while learning German with a scholarship I got from the German government. I also did an exchange sub-internship in Pecs, Hungary, where it was challenging to communicate with people since most of the people didn't speak English there. After my graduation, my adventurous spirit brought me to the US. I spent a couple of months volunteering and observing in the clinics and laboratories in Phoenix, AZ and Baltimore, MD. Finally, I got accepted to a research position at Mayo Clinic in Rochester where I could pursue my interest in animal experiments by working on creating systemic models of multiple myeloma in mice.

I chose Med-Peds because it was hard for me to choose between kids and adults. Also, Med-Peds has the broadest career opportunities and if you're a versatile person, it would probably be one of the best options for you.

Columbia is a small but a dynamic college town, where life is easy and calm, but there are also opportunities to have fun and enjoy your free time with. Columbia also looked very similar to Rochester, MN, where I spent a year and got used to the small-town life, where I could find more time for myself far from the hustle-bustle of a big city. Since I arrived here, I started learning pickleball, lyra dancing and attending fitness classes at Mizzou's great gym. We are roommates with my co-intern Asba and we live in a former fraternity house in downtown with college students :) In our free time we like practicing on monkey bars and cooking with Asba's spices from Pakistan.

Degrees: MD, MS in biological sciences, BS in biological sciences
Hometown: Union, MO
Medical School: University of Missouri Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
After Residency: Nephrology, critical care, combined nephrology and critical care, hospitalist medicine
Hobbies/Interests: Crossfit, animals (I have two dogs and one cat), hiking, hanging out with my fiance and friends, watching all of the Gordan Ramsey cooking shows and Law and Order SVU
Bio: I grew up in a small town in Missouri on a retired dairy farm. I had horses and dogs growing up and spent a lot of time outdoors. I went to undergraduate at Mizzou and was a biology major. During undergrad I worked as a waitress and as a bartender and really enjoyed it. After undergrad I did a one-year masters program to finish a project I had started with my research mentor and defended my thesis a couple of months prior to starting medical school. I’m one of the cliches because I have known since the 2nd grade that I was going to be a doctor. As I got older the things about medicine that drew me in further were the concepts of life-long learning, continued self-improvement and the cerebral aspect that comes with the critical thinking required to operate as a physician. I had decided early in medical school that I would be pursuing internal medicine, with a particular interest in critical care and/or hospitalist medicine. The diagnostician aspect of medicine and the complex management of multiple organ systems in addition to the wide variety of pathologies that are seen across disciplines in adult medicine were all things that were enthralling to me about the field. Most people that knew me prior to medical school were surprised when I chose med-peds. I had never had a particular interest in pediatrics until experiencing inpatient pediatric medicine during my third year of medical school. I quickly fell in love not only with the patients, but with being someone that could play an integral role in easing the minds of parents and caregivers. I also love getting to work with the pathologies that you see in pediatric patients that you don’t see in adults. Med-Peds is the perfect fit for me! I choose Mizzou for residency because of the Program directors, faculty, residents, and location.

Hometown: Larkana, Sindh
Medical School: Chandka Medical College, Larkana
Career Research/Interests: Too early to say, I love cardiology, hematology and oncology even Nephrology both of kids and adults, can’t say one for now 😊 confused. I would love to research and contribute something meaningful in the realm of medicine.
After Residency: Fellowship most probably, to continue learning and growing. I can become a child health advocate too, an astronaut or a chess player who knows future :D
Hobbies/Interests: Sports have always been a passion of mine, particularly chess and badminton. I even won an Intermediate badminton competition, (Injured myself a little but Wink wink) I love playing chess with my kiddo’s. I like to travel, and different places given opportunity, or whenever wanderlust calls. Literature provides solace in my life, by the end of the day I would want to retire in a reclining chair near fireplace in the basement of my house with long round stairs and read a book. "The Forty Rules of Love" by Elif Shafak and "When Breath Becomes Air" being among my favorite books. I also have a fondness for mystery and thriller genres, with Dan Brown's novels to sherlock Holmes taking me on exhilarating intellectual journeys. In terms of entertainment, I enjoy shows like "House MD," which captivates me with its medical mysteries, as well as the timeless classics "Friends" and "How I Met Your Mother," providing countless laughs. In terms of food, I have a weakness for quick and delicious meals like two-minute noodles, crispy French fries, and aromatic biryani.
Bio: I was inspired to be a doctor from very early ages as I grew up seeing a skeleton hanging in my aunts’ room as she was a doctor too. Attending the only medical college in the city was a privilege for me that I thoroughly enjoyed, I was always supported throughout my academic journey my by closest friends who encouraged me and my teachers who always accepted my true potential later I came to united states; known for its exceptional training standards. Through my diverse interests and experiences, I continue to explore the wonders of life, seeking knowledge, connection, and enjoyment. Recently, I embarked on a residency journey in my dream specialty of MED/PEDS. The decision to choose Mizzou was primarily influenced by the exceptional people within the program. From the moment I discovered their website to the day of my interview, everything felt right. The individuals I encountered were accomplished, knowledgeable, and incredibly welcoming, creating a sense of cohesiveness that resonated with me. I believe that this supportive environment will foster my personal and professional growth, allowing me to thrive and contribute to the field of medicine while building lasting connections with fellow healthcare professionals. I believe humans are a result of their experiences and for me each experience has shaped my journey in medicine, deepening my understanding, strengthening my commitment, and reaffirming my love for the profession. With enthusiasm, I embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, knowing that I am part of a community that fosters growth, compassion, and excellence.

Home Town: Lake Charles, Louisiana
Medical School: LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine, Shreveport, Louisiana
Career interests/research: possibly heme/onc , possibly hospitalist, very much undecided
After residency: Likely fellowship, but the possibilities are endless
Hobbies/Interests: I am absolutely obsessed with my dog, Bash. I adopted him during my first year of medical school and he is spoiled rotten, but he is the best boy. In my free time, I love going on daily walks and playing in the backyard with him. In my not free, time I enjoy talking about how cute he is and showing pictures of him to anyone in my nearby vicinity. My non dog related hobbies include binge watching tv shows, going to music festivals and concerts, online shopping, occasionally attending a workout class, and listening to a wide variety of podcasts (genres including but not limited to: true crime, history, and pop culture).
Bio: I grew up in a smallish town in southwest Louisiana and stayed in Louisiana for undergrad and medical school. I attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and majored in Biological Sciences with a minor in Psychology. My dad is a hospital pharmacist so growing up I spent a lot of time wandering around his pharmacy and the hospital with my older sister peaking my initial interest in medicine. I chose med-peds because as a 25-year-old, who is only just now getting kicked out of my pediatrician’s office, I have a deep sense of empathy for anyone dreading transitioning away from their trusted and sometimes lifelong pediatric providers, and into the world of adult medicine. I am passionate about continuity of care and really enjoy all the niche patient populations med-peds providers get to care for and the multitude of career options available. One thing I love about this program is that it is obvious the faculty are invested in us as not only residents, but also individual human beings. Everyone has made me feel so welcome and so at home, I really could not ask for anything better!

Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Medical School: Central Michigan University College of Medicine – Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Career interests/research: Looking to become a combined hospitalist on both medicine and pediatric wards. I’m also interested in transitional medicine for patients with chronic illnesses from childhood as they move into adult specialty care.
After residency: Would ideally like to stay in the Midwest at a mid-sized institution where I could establish as a transitional medical home for chronically ill kids as well as seeing both adults and children in the hospital. I may consider doing a pediatric hospitalist fellowship in order to achieve my end career goals.
Hobbies/Interests: I love music and play a few instruments including the guitar and ukulele. Eventually, I want to learn piano. I also enjoy the outdoors, cooking/grilling, going to parks, and fishing. I’m trying to get into more intense outdoor activities like hiking. Also, I love dogs and am anxiously awaiting until I can get my own pup. Until then, I get all my puppy fix from my friends and co-residents. I’m interested in quite a lot of different things, but I’d also have to say my dorkiest hobby is collecting fountain pens and buying expensive notebooks that I put on my bookshelf and never write in.
Bio I like to say that I’m originally from Dayton, Ohio, but the truth is I moved around a lot as a kid between Ohio, Indiana, and eventually up to Michigan after high school. I attended the University of Michigan (GO BLUE!) for undergrad and Central Michigan University (Fire up Chips!) for medical school. I am a first-generation college student and the first in my family to go into the medical field. I got my B.S. in Movement Science from the School of Kinesiology and took a year off between undergrad and med school to continue working in a research lab focused on intracellular signaling and molecular physiology. As interesting as that may sound, I did all my work in rodent models and let’s just say I very much appreciate getting the opportunity to work in human medicine now. My wonderful partner Emily joined me as well for our new adventure together in Missouri.
Coming into medical school, I was pretty set on going into Internal Medicine. I felt like I could be the “jack-of-all-trades” doctor that I always dreamed I could be, but I did a pediatrics rotation and all it took was one newborn to make a little tiny baby sneeze while I was examining her and I realized that I needed to know the pediatric world of medicine too. So, now I will be well trained in the full age spectrum of medicine and can truly have a “jack-of-all-trades” approach to my future practice. As well, Med-Peds residency is geared toward the inpatient side of medicine which I heavily preferred over other residency program styles that were more outpatient focused.
When I was looking at programs to send applications to, my first filter was getting rid of programs outside of the Midwest/Appalachia/Southern regions of the United States. Mainly to stay relatively close to my family, but also because I love this area of the country and wanted to stay here. When I think of the Midwest, I think of that special sort of hospitality, kindness, and judicious use of “Ope” and I feel at home. Interviewing with Mizzou, I felt that Midwest warmth and friendship and knew that this place could be my new home. This place has the little/big town vibe with the perfect amount of Midwest charm that I needed to truly feel at home.

Home Town: Harare, Zimbabwe
Medical School: Texila American University School of Medicine-Georgetown, Guyana
Career interests/research: Combined Cardiology Fellowship? Med-Peds Hospitalist + Med-Peds Primary Care? Not confused :), just exploring all the endless possibilities Med-Peds has to offer.
After residency: Just trying to enjoy residency first then think about what’s next…lol, but definitely anything fun, mentally challenging and rewarding. Or become a dog mom-again endless possibilities.
Hobbies/Interests: Listening to music and dancing has always been my go to activity for all occasions. My love for dancing can be traced back to my happy childhood in Africa. I also have several Latino songs on my phone that I really rock with but have no idea what they are talking about...lol. Traveling is a big part of me, it is kind of a reset button in my life. My goal is to visit every country in the world, learn different cultures and interact with different people and hopefully changing scenery will allow me to develop my yet to be discovered artistic talents. Skiing is my new found love, l enjoy the exhilaration of speed, and the incredible sense of freedom. Skiing is the only thing that makes me look forward to Winter seasons because as a proud African l don’t do cold…lol.
I also just love interior design. I spend a lot of time looking at overpriced furniture on instagram, which l will soon be able to afford...lol, fingers crossed :).
And last but obviously not the least, food is a fun sport, invite me anywhere if there is food, l will make time.
Bio: I was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe. Completed my undergrad/pre med and medical school at Texila American University School of Medicine in Guyana, South America. Spent some of my time in Perth, Australia, where half of my family lives. Having lived in different continents l love traveling, because it makes me grow, stretches my mind, challenges my perspective, and changes them for the better. There is no other better way to shape your life than by experiencing all that the world has to offer. As a child, I had an interesting progression in my planned careers–from engineer in my early childhood to lawyer (loved advocating for my peers) and eventually to doctor.  This was the best choice since it allows me to experience all my loves and a good physician encompasses all of these from scientific thinking to advocacy. ​​When it came time to choose what specialty to go for it was the easiest decision l have ever made, Med-Peds. After traveling for a while now, what l love the most is embracing the differences that make the world so colorful. In fact, sometimes our point-of-view might have some major blind spots, and going through both pediatrics and internal medicine residency allows me to better care for my patients and work on some of those blind spots. I have always been the kind of person that dreams big, reaching for new challenges and Med-Peds is filled with endless opportunities. I am excited to learn and explore all the possibilities. After moving to the US, l lived in big cities (New York, Chicago, IL, Houston, TX and Arizona), so for Residency l wanted to move to a small town but still get the feel of a big academic facility and Mizzou was the perfect place. When I interviewed at Mizzou, even without actually meeting in person I could tell that the Med-Peds Program at Mizzou had done an amazing job creating a safe environment to learn and clinically adapt. And anyone would be very privileged to be a part of this family for the next four years. I have no doubt that Mizzou is and will continue to be a favorable environment for me to grow and to develop into the best version of myself both professionally and personally.

Home Town: Ellington, MO
Medical School: University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Career interests/research: Current research projects/interests
After residency: Rural Med-Peds Hospitalist
Hobbies/Interests: Whitetail deer and wild turkey hunting, fishing, carpentry, outdoorsy stuff
Bio: I grew up in a small town in rural southeast Missouri called Ellington. Growing up in a small town, I always enjoyed spending most of my time outdoors – partly because that was all there was to do. These days I spend my off days hanging out with my wifey and dog and kitten. I went to undergrad at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO where I majored in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Spent a lot of time during undergrad figuring out what I wanted my life and career to look time, and found myself naturally drawn to medicine because I actually enjoyed all my the hard science courses (including organic chem), but didn’t want to spend time at the bench doing research. Plus I always remembered the need that my little town always had, and wanted to go somewhere similar to try and help out. I choose Med-Peds because it offers great training across all age groups, and it allows you get a ton of hospital training as well as become very familiar with clinic work. I specifically wanted to go here at Mizzou because of the wide variety of pathology I’ll get to see here, and also because of the people that make up the program. The small cohort sizes that make up this program are very welcoming; everyone really is pretty chill and always wanting to help you get better. And that’s pretty neat.

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Medical School: Windsor University School of Medicine – Cayon, St. Kitts and Nevis
After Residency: Combined ID fellowship or Med-Peds hospitalist
Hobbies/Interests: Cooking, watching movies, and travelling
Bio: I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria in a fairly large family. Starting out my undergraduate studies at Igbinedion University, Okada, I travelled to Saint Kitts and Nevis to finish my education at Windsor School of Medicine.
Owing to my family background, I’ve always loved taking care of people. Some of my favourite hobbies (cooking, hanging out with friends, planning events) are rooted in my desire to make sure people are comfortable.
This personality trait eventually evolved into a desire to study medicine after recognizing that it is the career path that caters to the total care of the human body. Med-Peds gives me the opportunity to experience and cater to a wide range of medical needs as well exposure to human development from childhood to adulthood.
Ultimately, passion is never enough to get you through in life. Hard work and a desire to become the best you can be in your chosen field of study will always be key. I chose the Mizzou residency because I believe it will afford me the opportunity to challenge myself while exposing me to the training needed for the next stage in my career.

Hometown: Miaoli, Taiwan
Medical School: National Yang-Ming University
Career/Research Interests: Combined Med-Peds Rheumatology or Nephrology
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, Reading (or buying books I don't read 😊), Cooking, Drinking/making espresso, Hiking, Going to movies.

Travel is a big thing to me. I enjoy traveling with friends and family, and am always excited about exploring new places, cultures, and foods. I love road trips and I hope I can set foot on all National Parks in the United States someday (including that on the American Samoa!) I also enjoy cooking for my loved ones. To me, cooking is a way for me to release pressure and I love experimenting on new recipes. I just recently start to learn to make espresso and I am excited for my new investments on espresso machines and coffee grinder.

Bio: I was born and raised in a rural mountainous town in Miaoli, Taiwan. My father is a local pediatrician in town. As one of the only few health care providers in town, he not only saw patients from the very young but also treated many people in the community to their adulthood. For countless afternoons in my childhood, I would wait in my father's clinic after school for him to take me home after work. I enjoyed watching the interactions between him and his patients, and I love to listen to all the stories and anecdotes his patients have to tell about my father. All these fond childhood memories pique my initial interest in medicine.

I finished my medical education in National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan. During my time in medical school, I was lucky enough to be sponsored by my school to do away rotations at Massachusetts General Hospital, where I met my mentor and first set foot in serious research. After graduating from medical school, I was thrilled to be invited back to work there as a postdoctoral researcher and engage in basic research. It was both a stressful and exhilarating time for me, being able to work with all the great minds in the frontier of research, while trying to acclimate myself to the new culture, language, and the hustle and bustle of life in Boston. I started to go to church, where I met Shantina in the bible study fellowship group. She became my partner for life and joined me for our new adventure together in Missouri.

I chose Med-Peds because it encompasses the many qualities I aspired to as a physician: healing and caring for patients across all ages (just like my father), the multitude and spectrum of diseases it encompassing, intensive training in both inpatient and outpatient care, professional freedom, and the beauty of long-lasting doctor-patient relationships. Mizzou Med-Peds stands out to me in many ways and one of the reasons is because of Dr. Emerson and Dr. Butcher. They are the ideal parental figures to our warm Med-Peds families, whom you feel comfortable to seek for guidance and help, as well as to share all the ups and downs of both professional and personal lives.

It was both our first time to Mid-West when my wife and I first got to Columbia, which obviously made us a little bit nervous. However, we were instantly struck by the hospitality, kindness, and the warmth of people here. We were delighted to find Columbia is such a great place to live, and it has so much to offer! It’s a lively college town with lots of great food and fun stuff to do. Trail systems here are amazing. The size of the city itself is decent as we don’t experience the traffic and high cost of living of typical big cities while we can still enjoy all the convenience and amenities of city life. The location being in the heart of Missouri means we can easily visit and explore either Kansas City or St Louis. This also ensures we have a huge catchment area with enough clinical exposures. Most importantly, Mizzou Med-Peds is a close-knit family that makes me feel at home. I am excited for the trainings I’m going to receive here and the time I am going to spend with all these lovely people!

Hometown: Artesia, CA / San Bernadino, CA
Medical School: Des Moines University – Des Moines, IA
Career/Research Interests: Heme/Onc? Med-Ped Hospitalist?  Still deciding
After Residency: Get a puppy! Career-wise no idea yet.
Hobbies/Interests: Animals (self-proclaimed crazy dog lady), food, gardening, cooking, baking, indoor rock climbing, audiobooks, true crime podcasts/shows, road tripping, paper crafts, Netflix/binging shows, spinning, yoga, walking my dog, Nintendo Switch
Bio: I grew up in SoCal. My family moved around a lot growing up so I’ve lived all over the LA county and the Inland Empire. I went to undergrad at Cal Poly Pomona. I initially wanted to be a Vet, so I started as Animal Science. I worked in a vet clinic for a summer and realized I could not handle the lack of legal protections for animals. I switched to General Biology with a Physiology minor. I started working at a clinical research organization that specialized in Phase I-IV trials and soon after I also started working as a scribe. After scribing for a year in peds heme onc I realized that I didn’t want to do anything else.
I went into med school knowing I wanted to see kids in my future practice, but also found myself loving adult medicine. I remember talking to one of my friends before 3rd year and telling him I would have to decide between peds and IM during the next year and he told me about medpeds. I was so excited I didn’t have to choose because I love both.
I participated in couples match and I chose to rank Mizzou highly because they were so accommodating, understanding, and welcoming of us as a couple. From my interview, I could tell they were genuinely interested in us coming here together. We’ve even been able to have our vacations scheduled at the same time. Furthermore, Mizzou MedPeds stood out to me because of Dr. Emerson. I worked in clinical research for 4 years and absolutely loved my relationship with my boss. Having mutual respect and a friend in my PD was a really high priority to me. I loved Dr. Emerson during my interview. She is incredibly passionate about medpeds, but also someone I feel comfortable sharing my ups and downs with.
Some things I’ve loved since moving to Columbia is the food, the trails, the people, the traffic, ice cream, and the dogs. The food scene here is surprisingly diverse compared to Des Moines, and best of all it’s all really affordable. My SO and I enjoying going out on weekends for breakfast. The trail system here is awesome! It is perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors or biking. There’s a lot of hiking / biking trails really close by. I walk my dog down to a nature preserve every day. The people here are so incredibly kind – from the patients to everyone I work with. It makes starting residency a lot less intimidating. Coming from SoCal, traffic here is basically nonexistent. I can get to work in 10-15 minutes (at peak traffic hours). Saving the best for last Columbia is a very dog friendly community! I love taking my dog out for ice cream in the summer and our favorite spot is Sparky’s. He loves their puppy cones and I’m obsessed with their honey lavender ice cream. I can also take him for strolls downtown and he’s welcome in a lot of the shops. Having grown up in socal, I was a little worried about moving to a city as small as Columbia. But, I have been very pleasantly surprised with the number of things to do, places to eat and overall affordability of this city.

Hometown: Springfield, MO
Medical School: University of Missouri – Columbia, MO
Career/Research Interests: Intensive care, NICU, cardiology, GI, hospital medicine, everything
After Residency: Fellowship or general hospitalist
Hobbies/Interests: New Orleans Saints, camping/floating, live music, true crime, food
Bio: I grew up in Springfield, MO. I attended Missouri State University for undergrad and grad school. My major areas of study were Cell and Molecular Biology and Spanish. I chose Med-Peds because I am interested in everything and love the idea of being able to help everyone, big and small, with many of their healthcare needs. I chose Mizzou for residency because I went to medical school here, and once a tiger, always a tiger! M-I-Z!