Jason Vaught, MD - Class of 2010
Academic Practice - Johns Hopkins
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
Interest in high-risk OB and training at Grady
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
Exposure to complex high-risk cases and lots of OB volume. Exposure to multiple sub-specialist. Autonomy as a resident to feel confident upon graduation
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
Just where I wanted to be
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
Residency is the time to learn how to be the best OB/Gyn you can. It is hard but you get what you give. Study outside of work hours to solidify what you are learning with direct patient care.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
Training fellows
Jennifer Fay Kawwass, MD -Class of 2011
Academic Practice - Emory University
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
Growing up in Tidewater Virginia where the 1st IVF baby was born in 1981, I had early exposure to the subspecialty of Reproductive Endocrinology and its forerunners, Drs. Howard and Georgeanna Jones. I learned early about IVF, the intense bond between fertility patient and physician, and the potential for reproductive endocrinologists to help patients build a family. While I didn't grow up knowing I wanted to be an REI, I realize now - in retrospect - that the seed was planted early. There is no greater joy than helping to bring a desired life into the world. I am particularly empathetic to the emotional duress faced by couples suffering from infertility and am drawn to the intensity of the relationship between an REI physician and her patient. Walking with individuals and couples as they journey through fertility treatment is incredibly powerful and rewarding.
On a medical level, the field of REI nicely combines procedure and clinic. It is based on understanding systematic endocrinologic pathways and exists at the convergence of medicine, science, and ethics.
In short, I am drawn to REI primarily for the patient relationships but also for the science, technical procedural skills required, need for attention to detail, and potential to be involved in ethical decision-making.
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
I couples matched. My husband and I chose Emory for many reasons. The Surgery and Ob/Gyn programs provided the right balance of autonomy and supervision. The opportunity to work at Grady Memorial Hospital was also a tremendous draw as the breadth and depth of experiences is tremendous. It was a privilege to help care for patients at Grady. Additionally, we both knew that training at Emory would keep all doors open with regard to future potential fellowships. The variety of training sites and subspecialty experiences allows for a well-rounded training experience.
As an added bonus, Atlanta is a diverse metropolitan city that has the amenities and attributes of a large city coupled with the comfort of feeling as if one lived in the suburbs. It has been a wonderful place to raise a family.
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
I can honestly say that after training at Emory, there was very little in the world of Ob/Gyn that could make me nervous. I felt very well qualified and trained to take care of very sick, complicated patients calmly, safely, and using evidence-based medicine.
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
I always hoped to be an academic reproductive endocrinologist. I could not love my job more.
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
Be prepared to work hard, be self-motivated, and read! Residency is challenging but also incredibly rewarding.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
Crying out of joy with my patients (this happens at least once a week).... I do also really enjoy teaching residents, fellows, and medical students.
Any other comments you would like to share?
There are still doctors that like their jobs... I would choose this path 100 times over.
Ritu Salani, MD, MBA - Class of 2005
Academic Practice - UCLA
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
Patient population, opportunities for research
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
Location, reputation
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
Great surgical experience
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
Do as many cases as you can; don't take the easy way out of things
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
Patient Care
Kenan Omurtag, MD - Class of 2010
Academic Practice - Washington University in St. Louis
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
I knew before residency that I wanted to do REI. The people at Emory were always so supportive
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
Atlanta, the Sooooouth, Grady, Diversity, the REI group there, and the recording industry (Seriously - music is my life)
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
There is no single institution that prepares its trainees like Emory. Grady hospital is a big part of that.
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
Pretty much on track
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
"Intern year is learning about logistics and how to "get things done" for your patients. The sooner you figure that out, the more enjoyable residency will be." I put this in quotes because it is literally verbatim what Methodius Tuuli (2008 shout out to him) told me in November of my intern year and I will never forget it. I still quote it to this day. Also always request to be on L and D days, L and D Night or antepartum (a distant third), first. It will be the best decision you will ever make in residency.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
The relationships I have with my patients but that's cliche. The most rewarding part is that I still have vivid memories of how EMORY shaped who I am today that still gives me the spirit to fight the status quo and be more than just a physician
Any other comments you would like to share?
Shout out to Cyril Spann a mentor and friend for life to all of us.
Courtney Rowland Marsh, MD - Class of 2010
Academic Practice - University of Kansas Medical Center
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
Love of women's health and opportunity to pursue reproductive medicine
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
The residents, research opportunities and faculty
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
Strong preparation for fellowship, great faculty mentors
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
I'm doing exactly what I envisioned!
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
Work hard and keep your eyes open for opportunities
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
Helping women fulfill their dream of motherhood
Kathryn Groendyke Gray, MD, PhD - Class of 2011
Academic Practice - Brigham and Women's Hospital
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
I love obstetrics, genetics, and research!
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
Amazing clinical training, great fellow residents
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
Allowed me to be very independent as a practitioner, made me aware of issues facing diverse patient populations
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
It is what I planned
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
It will be hard work, but it is a short time in life overall and will prepare you extremely well to do your future job. Take every opportunity to learn from every patient. And also take care of yourself. Training is a marathon, not a sprint.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
I love all parts of it -- taking care of patients, doing research, mentoring others, teaching.
Any other comments you would like to share?
Thank you in particular to Dr. Cyril Spann who was a standout educator during my time as a resident.
Betsy Collins, MD - Class of 2011
Academic Practice - Emory University
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
Strong sense of advocacy for women
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
I wanted to be in a place where I could really make a difference for patients that needed it the most.
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
It gave me respect for patients and the responsibility of being their doctor.
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
It matches perfectly.
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
Live small, save money, ride a bike or walk everywhere, love big.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
Helping patients who have never been heard before.
Any other comments you would like to share?
I have awesome colleagues.
Heather Hipp, MD - Class of 2013
Academic Practice - Emory University
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
The patients and mix of clinic and operating room.
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
The opportunity to work at Grady with its diverse patient population and unique medical issues. Strong Reproductive Endocrine division and I thought I wanted to pursue REI when I finished. The encouragement of some of the residents and faculty I had met as a medical student. Atlanta is a great city.
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
I felt well prepared to care for very sick obstetric and gynecologic patients because of my time in residency. My time in residency taught me a lot about clinical efficiency and being able to make important decisions decisively. The time I spent in REI clinic at Midtown as a resident also solidified my career choice. I feel like I also learned a lot about the value of education mentors, those faculty physicians who spent so much time teaching me during the four years.
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
Ha! Not sure how to answer this. I got incredibly lucky.
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
Get to know and bond with your class of residents. My residency class has some of my very best friends, with a relationship made unique by the experiences we went through together.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
Positive pregnancy tests for patients who have spent years trying to conceive; working with the residents, especially if/ when they fall in love with REI as a field
Regan Theiler, MD, PhD - Class of 2007
Academic Practice - Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
Love the variety
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
Reputation, patient acuity
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
My current position as Chair of OB and Mayo Clinic corresponds well to my vision and plan, although I am surprised that I really enjoy leadership roles.
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
Embrace the broad, general Ob/Gyn aspects of your education. You have the rest of your life to specialize.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
Solving problems every day!
Angela Martin, MD - Class of 2013, Fellowship 2016
Academic Practice - University of Kansas Medical Center
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
The excitement of L&D and passion for pregnant patients.
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
Amazing people I met during my sub-I
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
My training in maternal pathology was amazing. I was ready for anything that came through the door after fellowship graduation!
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
Exactly where I pictured myself. Academic center, MFM
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
It's ok to give everything you have to your career for 4 years. The people who love you will understand. 4 years is actually a very short period of time to prepare yourself for the most important job in the world.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
When parents take home a healthy baby.
Tara Cleary Jatlaoui, MD - Class of 2010
Medical Officer - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What made you decide to go into your specialty?
I enjoyed the balance between medicine and surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, acute cases and continuity of care.
What made you choose Emory for your residency?
I wanted to train in a hospital like Grady and have the opportunity to see other types of clinical settings during residency. When I met the people at Emory is when I knew I wanted to be there for training.
What unique preparation did Emory residency give you for your career?
Training at a place like Grady prepared me to be comfortable being uncomfortable, not knowing all the answers but knowing how to figure it out along the way or ask for help at the right time.
How does your current position correspond to where you envisioned yourself as you finished residency?
I'm not at all where I thought I would be back then! I saw myself in academics when I finished residency and went into Family Planning Fellowship. I thought being close to CDC and having opportunities for research was a bonus to Emory residency and fellowship. After doing research at CDC during fellowship, I saw there was potential for a career focused on public health.
If you could give advice to the intern class, what advice would you give?
The next four years you are building the habits that will carry you for several years in your career. Make sure you are building good habits to learn as much as possible from reading, and from those teaching you, to take care of yourselves and to take care of your patients the way you would want to be cared for.
What is the most rewarding part of your current job?
I get to mix public health where I'm serving a greater good while I'm working at CDC and get the more immediate fulfillment of individual patient care when I'm at Grady.