What was your path to Yale?
I finished my undergraduate studies at the University of Arkansas and completed my MD/PhD combined program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. I wished to continue a combined career with clinical and research interests, and I began looking for opportunities. At a conference in the bone metabolism field, I was told about physician-scientist training programs, where residency and fellowship are combined in a way to remove barriers to starting a physician-scientist career. I interviewed via Zoom at many of these programs across the country, and Yale was one of the top choices at the end of that grueling process. I could see that the individuals in the Yale residency and fellowship were all kind, intelligent, and driven people who valued your success as a trainee. It was rare to find this combination within both the residency and fellowship, and I thought that reflected the culture of Yale. I am happy to say my inclination was correct.
Why did you choose Yale Department of Internal Medicine for your fellowship?
I started medical school thinking I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I even tailored my research interests to match this initial clinical interest by joining a lab involved in bone metabolism research. Through my PhD years and into my first year of clinical clerkships, I realized that internal medicine fit my clinical and research interests more closely than any of the surgical specialties with which I rotated. My research and clinical mentors in medical school all belonged to the endocrinology section, and I found that the breadth of endocrinology appealed to me. That made my decision to pursue a Yale Internal Medicine residency and endocrinology fellowship very easy.
The history of Yale Internal Medicine research with many important clinical discoveries that we still utilize in practice today exhibits the foundation of support that Yale has to offer. Current research and clinical advancements in several fields show that this supportive environment endures. I wanted to be a part of the Yale Department of Internal Medicine to participate in that environment and hopefully benefit from the collaborative culture across all sections, both within and outside the department.
Tell us about your research or career goals.
I plan to continue working in the bone research field and see patients as a clinical endocrinologist. I hope that my clinical work influences my research directions and vice versa.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I moved across the country with three dogs: a Lab mix named Hazel and two miniature dachshunds named Huckleberry and Finn (yes, like the book character).
Yale School of Medicine’s Section of Endocrinology & Metabolism works to improve the health of individuals with endocrine and metabolic diseases by advancing scientific knowledge; applying new information to patient care; and training the next generation of physicians and scientists to become leaders in the field. To learn more about their work, visit Endocrinology & Metabolism.