Reach out to faculty to get exposure and learn about anesthesiology. All faculty emails are on the anesthesiology website. Students can also join the Student Interest Group for Anesthesia (SIGA)

I enjoy guiding medical students and residents to a career that is fulfilling for them.  

Academic medicine is the best way for me to work with residents and medical students. Overall, it felt like a better fit for me.

Anesthesiologists must know a great deal of information, use that information quickly when the time arises, and be able to adapt rapidly. 

No specific experiences but I like to see an overall well-rounded student. For example, students should have some research (does not have to be anesthesia related), service, work experience, and having passions outside of medicine.

Lack of exposure- Students in branch campuses at UAB and smaller medical schools have trouble getting exposure to anesthesia faculty and getting letters of recommendation from them.

Medical school, class rank, research/service/work experience, leadership positions, communication, and effective learning

• Flexibility in work schedule 
• Having pride in your work because of the great responsibility it carries
• Variety of each clinical day due various anesthesia subspecialties and procedures 
• All fellowships are 1 year making it easier to change paths
• Less charting than many specialties  

Questions

Responses

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?

1. Meet as many people as possible in the field:  senior attendings, junior attendings, senior residents, junior residents, and medical students who matched in that field to gain a better perspective of the specialty

2.  Do rotations early in fields of interest before investing large resources in that field

3. Find research that you are passionate about in that field (don’t just do to check a box!)

What made you want to become a program director? 

  I am not a PD of general surgery, but help run the T35 summer med student research program.

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

Academics:  I wanted to have a bigger impact than all the patients than I would ever operate on through education of residents and research

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field before the match?

1. I wish I knew more about all the programs nationwide that aligned with my interests – that said, I am very happy that I matched where I did.   However looking back, I didn’t really have a good understanding of the reputation and nature of programs that I didn’t appy to.   Would have included many additional programs.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

1. Anything that demonstrates that the individual can be very passionate about a subject to lead to a meaningful achievement in that area – whether it be playing D1 sports, touring with a bluegrass band, emerging as a first gen college graduate, prior careers.   

2. Significant leadership examples

3. Multiple research publications related to the same topic (not scattered research)

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty? 

1. Lack of knowledge of the broader field and contacts within our field. 

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

1.  Passion through prior experiences/involvement

2. Leadership through prior experiences/involvement

3. Letters of rec (staff that were close to them that can vouch for specific capabilities compared to peers)

4. Diversity

Questions

Reponses

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field and what would you like students to know about the field?

• PM&R is a broad field with 7 accredited fellowships and even more non-accredited ones.
• Explore the breadth of the field as much as you can (including inpatient and outpatient experiences) and know that you may have completely different experiences depending on what area of the field you are working in. The overall focus of the field is to improve patients function and quality of life. This is achieved in multiple fashions including, inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, and procedural based rehab.
• There is opportunity to work with patients of all ages, ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics.

What made you want to become a program director?

• Thoroughly enjoy teaching and was blessed with amazing mentors that made a positive impact, so I wanted to do the same. 

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

• Love for teaching and research. 
• Research focuses include musculoskeletal and neuromuscular ultrasound, electrodiagnostics, and adaptive sports.

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field before the match/ while in medical school?

• PM&R is a small field and for the most part everyone knows everyone. While on away rotations and the interview trial make the most of your experience and always put your best foot forward. You are likely to cross paths with fellow applicants and colleagues down the road.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

• Having PM&R experiences that include the breadth of the specialty (ie inpatient/outpatient/procedural)

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty?

• Exposure to the field
• Hard specialty to squeeze into one rotation
• Getting a variety of experiences

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

• WHOLE application is important
• If he had to pick three most important things, performance on PM&R rotation, understanding the field, and having strong letters from an academic physiatrist that has worked with a ton trainees goes a LONG way
• Leadership positions while in medical schoolVolunteer activities

Thoughts/viewpoint of away rotations?

• At least 1 is very important, 2 if you can
• Performing well on away rotations significantly boosts your application
• Take advantage of all the program has to offer. Ask to spend time on other areas of PM&R beyond just the rotation you are on.

When evaluating applicants research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects)

• Presence of research at all!! Even if not PM&R based, having exposure to the steps of research is beneficial.

What advice do you have for students while on PM&R rotations?

“We are looking for candidates who drink from the firehose” i.e., we are looking for ppl who want to learn. We don’t expect you to be a polished physiatrist, but we want to see that you are interested and want to learn as much about the field as possible and work hard.

How can med student figure out if radiology is right for them?

As a med student in other rotations you play a big role. In radiology it’s harder because it’s more shadowing. Try to imagine yourself in the radiologist’s role as the one dictating, reading, formulating treatments, etc. Do you see yourself finding satisfaction being the one doing the radiologist’s jobs. Sometimes we do hands on sessions and residents will let med students dictate cases and read for education purposes. Biopsy cases in radiology are another good thing to see. All subspecialties of radiology do a fair share of procedures and we do biopsy sessions where students can practice and get hands on experience. Radiologists usually like everything, because they learn everything head to toe.

What made you want to become a program director?

I like being involved in resident education and I served as the assistant program director for 3 years. After that I became the program director.

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

I liked the culture of UAB and collegiality between departments. Radiology here at UAB is like a family. They trained me well and I had more fulfillment in academics and education.

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field before the match?

I wish I had known it was out there earlier. That’s why UAB tries to introduce it earlier to med students. I also wish I knew the important role radiology plays in peoples’ lives.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

Leadership.  Work experience while not necessary, is interesting to see because at the end of the day you’re applying for a job. Some of our best residents are the ones who come in looking for ways to improve and contribute. People who have had roles contributing to med school by serving on different committees and roles is something we like to see.

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty?

We’ve had good luck with our students matching. We try to mentor our students have ppl in dept to mentor. Best to have a mentor in rads. Residents are great and are willing to help students navigate. All virtual interviews, learn from those who have gone before you. This year we are planning on doing 2 open houses.

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

The main metrics we use are Step 2, research, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and dean’s letter.