Undergrad Institution; Degree and Major:
Harvard, AB, Chemistry
Medical School:
Harvard
In practice since:
2003
Your Specialty:
Diagnostic Radiology & Neuroradiology
Where and for how many years did you train AFTER medical school:
- Internal Medicine Internship (1 year)
- Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA - Diagnostic Radiology Residency (4 years)
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA - Neuroradiology Fellowship (1 year)
How did you choose your specialty?
I think of Radiology as composed of 4 major pillars: anatomy, physiology, technology and pathology…all 4 are domains that I find very interesting. I also like the aspect of what must be akin to "detective work" in what we do—trying to figure out what is going on clinically with a patient by using Radiological examinations. I also found that I was drawn in by the scans themselves (I loved looking at scans and going to the reading room) and by the people in Radiology. Radiology also fits in very well with my interest in doing academia, including teaching and research. A common characteristic that I noticed about myself, and many of those going into Radiology, is that they liked more than they disliked about the classes and rotations they had in medical school…that is, liking a variety of different classes and rotations, sometimes making the choice of specialty more challenging.
What do you like MOST, and like LEAST, about your specialty?
There are many areas I enjoy about Radiology but I guess the thing that I like the most is the challenge. It is intellectually stimulating and gives you a chance to help someone case after case. I guess the area I like least about it is how clinicians and administrators outside of Radiology sometimes make our situation more challenging. For example, there are misconceptions about Radiology that medical students hear and I think that this does a disservice to everyone involved.
In your opinion, what attributes are important in anyone choosing this specialty?
Many us interact with a lot of people so good people skills are important. You should be smart and well-organized with attention to detail and goal oriented.
Hobbies/special interests:
- Sports card collecting (e.g., baseball cards and memorabilia)
- Pop culture (e.g., movies & TV, action figures)