Education and Training
I had a non-traditional path to medicine.
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My educational journey began at the University of Michigan where I majored in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Science, a hybrid of Neuroscience and Psychology. I absolutely loved my major,
seamlessly blending my interest in science and people early on.
While at the University of Michigan, I met a Graduate Student Instructor enrolled in the School of Public Health who introduced me to the field of public health, which I found absolutely fascinating. And, it was not long before my curiosity and desire to further understand connections between people, health, and community convinced me I needed to make a detour from the more traditional pre-medical courses to delve into the world of Epidemiology - the Science of Disease Detectives.
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Finishing my Master of Public Health, I looked for opportunities to gain lived experience to transfer what I learned in the classroom to the real world. In my search, I came across the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Applied Epidemiology Fellowship. For two years I lived in New York State (NYS) and worked as a member of the NYS Department of Health within the Bureau of Healthcare Associated Infections. It was eye-opening to work within the massive datasets that already existed and learn how state health departments leveraged data to ask research questions and respond to public health emergencies in real time. I also loved seeing how CSTE and state health departments interacted with the CDC at the federal level.
This opportunity was perfect, but as my two years came to an end I found myself at another crossroads. This time evaluating if I should pursue a Doctorate of Public Health versus a Doctorate of Medicine. Ultimately, though I was happy working as a Disease Detective, I found myself missing the WHY behind the work I was doing – the people, the relationships, and the application of science for the betterment of health.
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It was at this point, I decided to go to medical school and I moved back to my home state of Illinois to complete my Doctor of Medicine at Rush Medical College in Chicago, IL.
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Following medical school, I found my fit within the field of Pediatrics, as it incorporated prevention, public health, curiosity (children can’t always tell you what's wrong), and
connection with patients and families.
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Subsequently, I came to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for my Pediatrics Residency (2018- 2021) and Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship (2021- Present) with an expected graduation date in June 2024.