What drew you to Mayo Clinic for your residency training?

I actually have a somewhat unique path to the Internal Medicine program at Mayo Clinic. I initially matched into Mayo Clinic’s categorical PM&R residency, which meant I would complete my intern year in Internal Medicine here before transitioning to PM&R. From the start, what drew me to Mayo Clinic overall was the powerful sense of community I felt on interview day—it was clear this was a place where people are supported in pursuing what they are truly passionate about. During my intern year, I found myself increasingly drawn to the core elements of medicine—direct patient care, diagnostic reasoning, and longitudinal relationships. I was also surrounded by a cohort of genuinely incredible co-residents, which made it clear that Internal Medicine was where I belonged. I was fortunate to be supported in pursuing a lateral transfer into the Internal Medicine residency. That level of encouragement and flexibility from everyone involved was incredibly moving and confirmed that I had chosen the right place to train.

How have you been involved in community outreach during your training?

Community outreach has been a central part of my experience during residency, and I’ve been grateful for the ways Mayo Clinic supports this kind of work. I’m the founder of Crossovers & Conversations (C&C), a nonprofit that uses basketball as a platform to engage youth—especially those from underserved communities—around health education, mentorship, and personal development. While C&C began during medical school, I’ve continued to grow the program during residency, with support from the Mayo community. I’ve also had the opportunity to participate in Heart2Heart, a Mayo initiative that connects residents with high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to provide mentorship and exposure to careers in medicine. Beyond my own involvement, I appreciate that Mayo offers a wide range of community outreach opportunities. As an internal medicine resident, we have dedicated time in our core curriculum to serve at The Landing and Good Samaritan medical clinics, where we provide direct care to uninsured patients and individuals experiencing homelessness—a truly humbling and valuable experience. Other opportunities include providing foot soaks at the local short-term shelter for unhoused individuals and taking part in our Community Service Week which both reflect Mayo Clinic’s deep commitment to community engagement.

What opportunities have you had to develop your skills as a medical educator while in training?

Mayo Clinic provides a wide array of opportunities to grow as a medical educator including structured teaching experiences, medical education skill-building electives, and mentorship opportunities. We have a resident-led teaching group that delivers weekly lectures to medical students, offering a structured teaching experience. On clinical services, like hospital medicine, it is common to work closely with students, and residents are expected to take an active role in their teaching and mentorship. I also helped lead a program called MENTORS, which pairs residents with Mayo Clinic medical students for longitudinal mentorship. Each pair engages in shadowing opportunities, academic development, and a yearlong competition designed to promote learning and connection. What makes this program especially meaningful is the space it creates for open and honest conversations about the challenges and rewards of medicine. Residents provide guidance and support as students navigate their training and begin shaping their career goals. In turn, it has helped me grow as an educator, mentor, and leader.

Is there anything that surprised you about Mayo Clinic?

What surprised me most was how genuinely collaborative and humble the culture is here. For such a renowned institution, there is remarkably little hierarchy in the day-to-day environment. It is not uncommon to be on rounds with world-class specialists who still make space for residents’ perspectives and contributions. Another pleasant surprise has been just how diverse the interests of my co-residents and consultants are. Whether someone is focused on health equity, basic science research, global health, or community engagement, their passions are embraced—and even celebrated. I expected Mayo to offer world-class training, but I did not fully anticipate the level of personal and professional support that would come with it.