We are proud to present the incoming Intern Class of 2021. We wanted to take the opportunity to go a little past the names and faces and learn a couple things about them. We asked them each to tell us a little bit about why they chose Internal Medicine at Iowa for their residency. And, now that they have been here a couple months, what they like about living in Iowa City or working at University of Iowa Health Care. We will introduce them a few at a time each week for the next couple months. Welcome to Iowa! (Read previous weeks’ installments.)
Roshan Abid, MD
Hometown: West Des Moines, Iowa
Medical school: University of Iowa
“Why Iowa”: I had the luxury of rotating through several IM departments as a med student and loved every team I was with. I felt like I grew so much with each rotation and saw a lot more potential in doing my prelim year here. Also, no one is more invested in their residents than Dr. Suneja is, so it was a pretty easy decision to stay!
What I like about Iowa City: I am on year 5 in Iowa City and still discovering new and fun things to do. Tailgating football games will always be my favorite Iowa City activity. I also enjoy playing pick-up basketball with IM residents and fellows, biking, and trying all the different restaurants around town.
Daniel Goering, MD
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Medical school: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
“Why Iowa”: During the selection process I was looking for a place that felt welcoming with a strong culture of academic medicine to help me achieve my career goals. Iowa had what I was looking for and I could feel it immediately during my interview. I had the feeling that this program would have the best people and resources to support me and help me serve others.
What I like about Iowa City: I love the exceptional outdoor recreation here especially the mountain biking trails in Sugar Bottom. My wife loves how close everything is, including Walmart, Costco, and Trader Joe’s. It is also a very affordable place to live. Our apartment here is a lot larger than our old one and we definitely appreciate that.
Shivali Patel, MD
Hometown: Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
Medical school: Rush University
“Why Iowa”: Ahh so many reasons: its dedication to teaching, having one of the few med-psych units in the country, it reminded me of my hometown, and most importantly–the kindness and humility of the people here.
What I like about Iowa City: I enjoy how many parks there are and the greenery! It makes biking, kayaking, and being more active/outside way easier.
Haley Pysick, MD
Hometown: Plymouth, Minnesota
Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin
“Why Iowa”: I was excited about residency here first and foremost because of the incredibly friendly, caring, and resident-centered “vibe” of the program. Also, the program’s outstanding reputation in Internal Medicine!
What I like about Iowa City: I have been pleasantly surprised by the sheer amount of trees and nature here – I honestly thought there would mostly be cornfields.
Jeremy Zhang, MD
Hometown: Pearland, Texas
Medical school: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago
“Why Iowa”: What drew me most to Iowa was how personal the program was! Everyone I met from here emphasized that Iowa was a place where you feel genuinely supported and cared for as an individual. It’s awesome seeing how passionate people here are about helping each other reach their personal & career goals!
What I like about Iowa City: I’ve enjoyed checking out the many tennis courts around Iowa City! I am also just loving the convenience of everything being close by, with some great local food and shopping spots to explore (La Regia and Exotic India are my faves so far!)