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 have introduced them a few at a time each week for the last couple months. Welcome to Iowa! (Read previous weeks’ installments.)
Bilal Ahmed, MD
Hometown: Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Medical school: University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
“Why Iowa”: Really humble, kind people. Iowa had the sort of warmth that even virtually made me feel comfortable that I would have an intern year where the leadership and current residents were all on the same team.
What I like about life in Iowa City: Easy commutes, awesome sunsets, a lively downtown scene, grabbing Thai food at the Blue Elephant, and more. Couldn’t be happier.
Arnulfo Garza Reyes, MD
Hometown: Brownsville, Texas
Medical school: Paul Foster School of Medicine Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso
“Why Iowa”: Top-tier training is present everywhere you look in the hospital. As a prelim, I chose to come to Iowa for the incredible ophthalmology training available. However, once I took a look at the organization as a whole, that level of excellence is present everywhere. It is uncommon to find this kind of successful and renowned training while also having an incredibly supportive environment. For example, on my first night shift, I accidentally paged an attending by accident at 9pm, and he paged me back and took the time to teach me what I did wrong in a helpful and understanding way. As an applicant, culture was extremely important for me, and this place has lived up to those expectations several months into intern year. This place is special, and I’m glad I’m here…but ask me again when the winter hits! 🙂
What I like about life in Iowa City: I love how quiet and easy going life is in IC. I know many of my classmates were excited to go to their big metropolitan areas, but my wife and I knew we wanted a place that would not add difficulty to an already challenging part of our lives. I’ve heard it gets cold over here, but the summer has been quite warm thus far, and it’s been fun. My wife and I have enjoyed going to Dane’s Dairy for some ice cream. We also went to Pheasant Run Farm, which has thousands of sunflowers, which was an amazing experience. I wish I had more time to explore and find more gems in this city, but the intern life is busy.
Mike Shlossman, MD
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Medical School: Virginia Tech
“Why Iowa”: Friendly people and top-notch training.
What I like about life in Iowa City: My favorite place is Thornberry Dog Park on the peninsula. My dog loves it!
Sarah Van Dorin, MD
Hometown: Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Medical school: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
“Why Iowa”: I was attracted to Iowa because of the welcoming environment, the faculty, the residents, and all the educational opportunities.
What I like about life in Iowa City: I love the trails in the Iowa City area including Waterworks Prairie Park and Squire Point. I also appreciate the restaurant options, including some of the new restaurants in the Iowa River Landing area.
Cheryl Wang, MD
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Medical school: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
“Why Iowa”: I chose Iowa because of the culture. I have met so many people here who are not only super interesting and impressive but also humble, down-to-earth, and really pleasant to be around. I can recall many moments from being a medical student here where people went the extra mile for me or were generous toward me with their time, effort, and considerateness, even if I was a stranger to them. These memories have made a lasting impression on me and represent the kind of physician and person I would like to become.
What I like about life in Iowa City: I love that “rush hour traffic” in Iowa City adds no more than 5 minutes to your commute. I love backyard bonfire season in the summer and fall. I like that people will greet or acknowledge strangers when they pass each other on the sidewalk.