Resident Perspectives

Resident Perspectives – In Their Own Words

Lukas Loschner, MD Charles University, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Czech Republic Categorical Internal Medicine, 2009 Graduate Entering subspecialty fellowship in Pulmonary-Critical Care Medicine at West Virginia University, July 2009
Choosing the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Internal Medicine residency program was the right choice for me. I found the relatively small size of the program to be its strength; the dedicated faculty were able to provide me a supportive learning environment. The sincere interest the program faculty has for the residents gave me the guidance I needed, and encouraged me to pursue my interests in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. One example is that the program supported and also funded my trip to present one of my research projects at an international conference. The three years that I have trained at NHRMC have given me great clinical skills that have thoroughly prepared me for the ABIM certification exam and my future career.
Brittany Bohinc, MD Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine Categorical Internal Medicine, 2010 Graduate Entered subspecialty fellowship in Endocrinology at Duke University, July 2010
I interviewed at a number of programs for residency, both university and community-based. At the time, I was unsure as to whether I would be pursuing a career in primary care or whether I wanted to go on to fellowship. I was looking for a program that gave me the option to explore both arenas. I was also looking for a positive learning environment, a good teaching faculty, and a nice place to live. I chose this program because of the fact that around half of its residents were going into primary care while the other half were successfully building subspecialty careers. The faculty seemed very dedicated to teaching, and the environment was friendly. I also had the added bonus of having rotated here as a medical student. I found that the pathology seen at our hospital was amazingly diverse and complicated compared to the cases that I had seen as a medical student in Ohio. The variety of patients has indeed given me a wide exposure to the field of internal medicine. As an incoming third year resident, I have decided to pursue a career in endocrinology. I really do believe that this program has been instrumental in fostering and developing my subspecialty interest and has given me a solid foundation of knowledge in internal medicine. Even at a community-based program, I was able to find willing mentors and teachers who were well-trained in their respective fields who have helped me to successfully publish peer-reviewed articles in major journals, encouraged poster presentations both at the local and national levels, and who have been enthusiastic teachers. My residency experience has been instrumental in helping me to accomplish my professional goals and has helped make me a competitive candidate for fellowship. I’ve made some of my best friends at the program and have grown both personally and professionally. If faced with the decision to do it all over again, I would definitely chose NHRMC for residency.
Ashley Forystek, DO Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Categorical Internal Medicine, NHRMC, PGY-3
When I first began my search for an internal medicine residency program, I made a mental list of all the attributes I wanted to find in a program. While a great learning atmosphere, a variety of patient cases, and opportunities for research were on that list, one of the most important things for me was the overall atmosphere of the program. I knew I wanted to be a part of a small community-based program where the residents and faculty worked together to achieve their common goal of learning. It wasn’t till my fourth year medical school rotation at New Hanover that I found that program. I was so impressed with the overall atmosphere of this program that I knew it was where I wanted to spend the next three years. Over the past year, this program has fulfilled my expectations. The faculty here at New Hanover are supportive, eager to teach, and are always accessible. My co-residents are intelligent, hardworking, and have become some of my closest friends. Being an osteopathic physician, another important aspect of my search for a residency program was finding a dually accredited program. The intern year at New Hanover is both ACGME and AOA accredited. I’ve been able to continue my education in osteopathy through bi-monthly osteopathic lectures, conferences, and rotations with one of our family medicine faculty who heads the Osteopathic internship year. Finally, one of the perks of choosing a residency program in southeastern North Carolina is the beautiful location. Wilmington is a great city to work and live in. It is filled with wonderful restaurants, beautiful beaches, and great shopping – all of which you will actually find you have the time to enjoy, even as an intern.
Jennifer Jarosz, MD SUNY at Syracuse College of Medicine Preliminary Internal Medicine at NHRMC, 2009 PGY-1 Graduate Residency in Diagnostic Radiology, Duke University Program
Reflecting back on this past year as a preliminary intern here at NHRMC, I can honestly say that I made a great choice ranking this program at the top of my list during the very difficult decision-making process fourth year of medical school. I have had a true Internal Medicine experience which will serve as a very helpful stepping stone as I head into the field of Radiology in July. I have learned to manage the "bread and butter" cases of Medicine, such as CHF exacerbations, diabetic ketoacidosis, and pancreatitis, as well as more rare and complicated cases, including Guillain-Barre syndrome, adrenal crisis, and rattlesnake bites. This has been, of course, with the guidance of my senior residents and attendings! I have felt very comfortable as an intern in this program. The senior residents and attending physicians are very supportive. Many times I have had the opportunity for first encounter experiences while evaluating patients in the ED during my call days and while on night float. I really appreciated this feeling of autonomy, yet felt secure knowing I could call my attending or senior on the team with any questions or pressing concerns. This is a relatively small residency program which provides a close-knit environment with supportive faculty, hardworking and knowledgeable colleagues, time for a life outside of work (I usually go home and chase my 15 month old son around after work!), and time for teaching/learning opportunities as well (our morning reports/case presentations are great). I really enjoy working at NHRMC; it is a growing hospital in a community that is rapidly expanding, and it has a brand new Surgical Center and Women's & Children's Hospital. Wilmington is also a growing community with great shopping, restaurants, and the best beaches around!
For more information on our program, please contact: Ruth H. Smith, Program Administrator New Hanover Regional Medical Center SEAHEC imresidency@seahec.net  910.667.9308 910.762.6800 fax   Check out the Facebook page for the NHRMC Internal Medicine Residency Program… become a fan and interact with our current and former residents in the discussion boards.