Alejandra Grullón, PGY-2

¡Hola! I'm Alejandra! I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, in Santo Domingo, the capital and largest city on the island. My father is Dominican, and my mother immigrated from Argentina. I have one younger sister, who is married and now has three wonderful children: Lía, Nicolás, and Mattías. From a very young age, the value of family was instilled in me and continues to be my greatest priority. My family and I are very close and have always enjoyed regularly spending time together for weekly dinners. I have so much love for my home country, with its warm, vibrant people, rich culture and gastronomy, and incredible beaches. Dancing to merengue (a type of music originating from the DR) and salsa is also a major part of Dominican culture that I really enjoy. Growing up, I was always very interested in science, technology, social sciences, and languages, and I discovered my passion for medicine. After graduating high school, I immediately started medical school; Dominican medical students directly pursue their graduate education and do not attend an undergraduate program.

I went to Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) in Santo Domingo, where I completed all my clinical rotations. In the DR, UNIBE is one of the top medical schools and matriculates most international students on the island, as they offer courses in both Spanish and English. In medical school, I performed many different procedures including lumbar punctures, intubations, and often served as a surgical assistant; these experiences are common for Dominican medical students, to provide training opportunities and specially to alleviate shortages in healthcare staff and resources. After graduating, I worked in multiple specialties and taught Medical English to first year medical students. I also lived with my maternal family in Argentina for one year, where I was able to discover and experience the other part of my heritage. After I returned home from Argentina, my interest in medical leadership led me to pursue and receive a full scholarship to complete my Master in Healthcare Administration in Spain. After the completion of my master’s degree, I moved to the US to live with my partner in her hometown, Atlanta, GA, where I finally began pursuing my dream of becoming a psychiatrist in the US.

My interest in Emory began when I moved to Atlanta to be with my partner. We knew we wanted to be together, and I also wanted to pursue my specialty in the US. I initially got involved as a Research Fellow in the Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and then eventually was hired as a Clinical Research Coordinator. During this time, I was fortunate to work in diverse treatment settings with young adult and older adult patients who experience psychosis, which ultimately cemented my decision to specialize in psychiatry. During the two years I worked at Emory, I primarily worked at Grady Hospital in downtown Atlanta, and I developed wonderful relationships with Emory psychiatry residents, faculty, and staff. I have been consistently impressed and excited about the quality and rigor of education, training, research, and patient care, the extensive variety of training experiences, and the supportive, family-friendly culture of the Emory psychiatry residency program. I also have enjoyed and appreciated being a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee (DISC), where I have been able to participate in departmental advocacy efforts and respectful, open dialogue about ongoing issues impacting marginalized members of both the Emory and local Atlanta communities. Atlanta had become my home, and I knew that Emory was the program that would offer me the best opportunity to learn and develop my skills as a psychiatrist.

4:30 AM – My favorite part of the day is waking up, feeding our cats, reading the news, and studying with jazz or Baroque music playing while having a cup of coffee. I would not change this for anything.

5:30 AM- Get ready for my medicine rotation

6:10 AM- Arrive to Grady Memorial Hospital and pre-chart

7:00 AM- Receive sign out from the night float team

7:00 AM- 12 pm – Medicine is usually very busy but the great staff at Grady, upper senior resident and attendings make the process smooth. I usually do H&P on our newly admitted patients, order medications or labs, write progress notes, order consults, talk to nurses and other residents and ensure I’m on top of all the to-do's that come up during the day. Rounding times and workflow varies depending on the attending.

12:30 PM- Attend the internal medicine conference and have lunch!

1:30 to 5:30 PM – Finish progress notes, write handoffs, print sign outs and deliver to the night float team! On Long call days, I leave at 7 PM.

6 PM- Back home! Feed cats, let our dog out, start dinner, shower.

7 PM- Have dinner, watch an episode of a good TV show (usually drama) or read in bed.

8 PM- I prepare my lunch and set out my outfit for the next day.

8:30 PM- I have an alarm that reminds me I must stop whatever I am doing and get ready for bed. In bed, I read briefly about working out or meal ideas or any other quirky thing I need to research. I am a nerd.

9 PM- Bedtime! Every single night (without fail) I text my family in our group chat (in the DR) “buenas noches."

In Edgewood, a great neighborhood just east of downtown Atlanta. I am approximately 10 minutes from downtown Atlanta, making my commute easy without much time in major traffic. Edgewood and the surrounding neighborhoods are extremely walkable and close to many incredible restaurants and parks.

• My partner and I enjoy walking and hiking with our dog.
• My all-time favorite activity is going to the gym. There are many different types of gyms; I go to one that follows COVID precautions and has all the equipment necessary (no need to wait for the squat rack!).
• Trying out new restaurants. Atlanta is a city for foodies!
• Our favorite Holiday tradition is going to the Atlanta Botanical Garden Lights event.

• My main thought for future applicants is to persevere in your journey. Your experiences, your strengths, your rich and diverse background is your edge.
• Ask questions proactively. For me, it was helpful to talk and connect with others in the department.
• Representation matters! There is always someone looking up to us, what you do and say will leave a mark.