Why did you choose Mayo Clinic for your preliminary year?
I chose Mayo for residency because of its inspiring heritage and visionary future. The Mayo family sacrificed so much of their lives and personal resources to establish this institution. Mayo Clinic’s values of “patients first” and teamwork really create a culture between coworkers for collaboration instead of ladder-climbing or money-chasing. I am personally involved in medical missions to underserved populations locally and abroad who have limited healthcare access, and Mayo Clinic has fully supported me with this endeavor. Rochester is a wonderful town with great people for raising a family, and it has become home for my wife and three kids. Pre-lim year has been going better than I had expected. I feel fully supported, learning lots, and having a blast!

Why did you choose Mayo Clinic for your preliminary year?
My wife and I are beyond grateful we couples matched at the Mayo Clinic! It represents the gold standard for us in terms of clinical training from world experts, state-of-the-art research and innovation, all within a supportive and collaborative culture which stems from the clinic's rich history. Rochester itself is a peaceful Midwestern town with underrated diversity—for example, in a single workday you could find yourself taking care of rural farmers, metropolitans from the Twin Cities, Somali refugees and Saudi sheikhs. It is a privilege to call this our home and live out our values every day!

Why did you choose Mayo Clinic for your preliminary year?
I loved my away rotation at Mayo and felt that the training environment and education here were unparalleled. The ophthalmology residency offers an integrated prelim year, so even though the choice to come here was in a sense very easy, I cannot overemphasize how wonderful the year has been thus far. Our intern year is curated with various rotations that serve as a strong foundation for our future career as ophthalmologists, with three months of ophthalmology clinical time as well. As a prelim, all the departments we rotate through have been extremely welcoming and excited to teach what they can about their specialty, and the opportunity to learn from experts across various disciplines has been academically enriching. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this year has been building connections with colleagues and making friends from various disciplines.

Why did you choose Mayo Clinic for your preliminary year?
I recall during the interview season for neurology hearing the perspective that a preliminary medicine year would make me a ‘doctor’ while the subsequent neurology years would make me a ‘neurologist’. I couldn’t think of a better place to become a doctor than the Mayo Clinic. Throughout the preliminary year, we are exposed to a broad range of pathologies and serve as patient’s primary care providers. I have grown immensely in managing everyday conditions like diabetes and hypertension, while also learning how to recognize and manage rare oncologic and transplant conditions, all while surrounded in a warm and welcoming learning environment.

Why did you choose Mayo Clinic for your preliminary year?
I chose to complete my preliminary year at Mayo Clinic primarily due to the institution's culture of kindness. The warmth and compassion exhibited by both staff and fellow learners create an environment that promotes not only professional growth but also personal well-being. The sense of togetherness at Mayo Clinic stood out to me, as collaborative efforts and a supportive community are essential for a positive learning experience. Furthermore, the institution's patient-first mentality aligns with my values, emphasizing understanding the specific needs of each patient and doing everything we can to meet those needs. In choosing Mayo Clinic, I am confident that the combination of kindness, togetherness, and excellence in patient care will contribute significantly to my overall development as a physician.