mgh primary care residents 2010-2011 - Massachusetts General ...

MGH PRIMARY CARE RESIDENTS 2010-2011
Welcome Primary Care Applicants! We hope you enjoy your day at MGH learning about our program. To
help you get to know the primary care residents and our program, we put together brief bios and our
thoughts about the program. We know the interview day is a whirlwind, so if you have questions or just want
to get a better sense of the Primary Care Program, please feel free to email any of us.
Name: Alaka Ray
Year: Ambulatory Chief Resident
Hometown: Kolkata, India
Hobbies/outside interests: Playing with my son, reading non-fiction, watching movies
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Bulfinch Medical Group
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I transferred into the PC program
from the MGH categorical program at the end of my intern year, because I fell in love
with my continuity clinic and knew I wanted to be a primary care doctor.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The exposure to innovation in primary care and
general medicine, the availability of mentors in primary care with diverse career paths in clinical care,
education, health policy, administration and research.
Future plans: I would like to practice primary care in an academic center and have the opportunity to teach
residents and medical students about outpatient general/preventative medicine.
Email: aray2@partners.org
Name: Dana Carne, MD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Hobbies/outside interests: Running, Basketball, Tennis, Cooking, movies, drinking
coffee and reading the newspaper
Medical School: Dartmouth Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Bulfinch Medical Group
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I wanted an experience that mimics the
real healthcare system. Patients spend the majority of their time in an outpatient setting, and I wanted to
make sure I knew the issues that were important in this area.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I love having a smaller group of colleagues that I can
turn to and learn from.
Future plans: I am really interested in cost-effectiveness and efficiency in healthcare, although I’m not sure
where these interests will take me.
Email: dcarne@partners.org
Name: Rodrigo Cerda, MD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: Montevideo, Uruguay and Albany, NY
Hobbies/outside interests: Basketball, soccer, reading (fiction), travel, eating good
food (yes, this is an interest/hobby for me in addition to a biological necessity)
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania
Continuity Clinic Site: Chelsea Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: In my limited medical school
experience, I had the impression that there is a greater potential for positive impact on
patients’ lives through providing good primary care that keeps people out of the hospital as compared to
patching them up once they’re already there. Primary care programs also have the advantage of providing
additional training in outpatient care, which is the majority of what IM graduates will do after residency. The
MGH primary care program, specifically, provides a world-class set of colleagues, mentors, and resources
that support both excellent clinical skills and an ability to think of clinical care in the context of the system that
houses it.

What I love about the MGH primary care program: When I was looking for guidance in setting up a month
of elective/research time, our director Valerie Stone was available to meet with me and quickly pointed me in
the direction of several world-class researchers and practitioners of health policy, helped me decide which
option to pursue, and introduced me to an excellent mentor doing work on cost-effectiveness of HIV care
both in the US and globally. That kind of mentorship is priceless. I also have to mention my love for Chelsea
Health Center, which has awesome MGH faculty in a well-run community health center with lots of Spanish
and Portuguese-speaking patients.
Future plans: I’d like to combine work in health policy with clinical care. The details are a bit less clear, and
could involve either academics with a focus on cost-effectiveness or a more applied career in shaping health
system policy (or a bit of both). I’d also like my career to have a global component, particularly in Latin
America.
Email: rcerda@partners.org
Name: Catherine Dodds, MD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Hobbies/outside interests: Seeing films, re-reading a favorite novel in my “spare time”,
playing Bach and Chopin on the piano that takes up half my Beacon Hill studio
apartment, and traveling around the world with nothing but a backpack, a Rough Guide,
and a sense of adventure
Medical School: Columbia University
Continuity Clinic Site: Chelsea Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I loved the MGH program from the start when I came for
my interview. I was looking specifically at programs with primary care tracks, and when I got to MGH, I
sensed that the medicine program here as a whole was robust and responsive to its housestaff, with a
strong, established leadership and a clear view towards making residency fulfilling without being
overwhelming. The primary care track is a subset of that, with its own added perks such as monthly dinners,
retreats, potlucks, parties, and other get-togethers, in addition to what MGH offers.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The flexibility and support, my awesome co-interns
and residents within the primary care family, all the special events we have that make us a core group within
a larger program, all the opportunities within MGH, its network of community health centers, and Boston at
large, and finally, the program’s encouragement for us to be leaders pursuing diverse career paths within
primary care medicine
Future plans: To be a small-town, community GP and continue to teach residents and students in the
ambulatory setting.
Email: cdodds1@partners.org
Name: Shiri Feingold, MD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: Jerusalem, Israel
Hobbies/outside interests: Traveling, cooking, spending time with my family.
Medical School: Ben-Gurion University
Continuity Clinic Site: Bulfinch Medical Group
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I am very interested in outpatient
medicine and in health care management and I wanted to have more "hands on"
ambulatory time. The MGH primary care program was a natural choice for me because
of the designated PC ambulatory blocks and the fantastic academic primary care practices and teachers.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I love the feeling of a "family within a family". My coresidents,
my preceptors and the program leaders are all wonderful doctors, great role models and lovely
people.
Future plans: practicing clinical medicine in an outpatient academic center.
Email: sfeingold@partners.org

Name: Carina Fernandez-Golarz, MD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: Montevideo, Uruguay
Hobbies/outside interests: Travel, international films, ethnic food
Medical School: Ponce School of Medicine, Puerto Rico
Continuity Clinic Site: Women’s Health Associates
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I was very impressed by the passion
and commitment of the program’s leadership and residents. It is a very exciting time for
primary care and I knew that the MGH primary care program would not only offer an
ideal environment in which to develop my broad areas of interest, but it would also provide numerous
opportunities to get involved in primary care at the policy and public health levels.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: A great community within a great community, fantastic
mentors and colleagues, collegial and friendly atmosphere.
Future plans: I am planning on a career combining my interests in medical education, women’s health, and
policy
Email: cpfernandez@partners.org
Name: Simmie Foster, MD, PhD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: Berkeley, CA
Hobbies/outside interests: Yoga, running, meditation, Aikido, Capoeira, knitting,
reading sci-fi/fantasy, watching classic t.v.
Medical School: Yale Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Charlestown Health Care Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I love the primary care ideals of
providing longitudinal and preventative care, and of taking care of the whole patient in
the context of society and culture. I looked at many primary care programs, and what struck me about MGH
was: 1) that it was a very well structured program integrated into a rigorous medicine residency, 2) the varied
interests of the residents, 3) the wonderful faculty—for such a high-powered place, they are uniformly downto-earth
and approachable.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: Firstly, the leadership is incredibly supportive and
responsive—I am interested in basic research in mind-body medicine, and Dr. Stone was able to find me two
wonderful mentors and leaders in the field, one of whom is a director of complementary medicine at the
Osher Center at HMS. Secondly, my fellow interns are nice, smart, and kind. Third, I absolutely love my
clinic and my clinic preceptor. The Charlestown clinic is a true community clinic, with an old-time feel—the
staff still does home visits! And my preceptor is a wonderful mentor and role model for the type of physician I
want to be.
Future plans: I’m interested in the intersection of mental and physical health, especially in regards to
common primary care issues such as chronic pain and social stressors.
Future plans: I’m interested in the intersection of mental and physical health, especially in regards to
common primary care issues such as chronic pain and social stressors.
Email: sfoster4@partners.org
Name: Maria Han, MD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: MI
Hobbies/outside interests:
Medical School: Yale Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Senior Health Associates
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I was drawn to the Primary Care
Program because of the incredible resources and faculty associated with the program
and with MGH at large. Whether you are interested in Health Policy, Academic Primary
Care, or random things like Primary Care in the Media, MGH undoubtedly has someone great to mentor and
advise you along the way.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I love my co-interns! I also love the special PC-focused
dinners, lunches, and retreats that are built into the program. They are a great way to keep your academic
and other interests alive while you’re busy on the wards.
Future plans: I am interested in a career in geriatric medicine focusing on medical decision making.
Email: mahan@partners.org

Name: Norris Kamo, MD
Year: PGY 1
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Hobbies/outside interests: Going to live concerts, exploring new restaurants,
snowboarding, traveling, running, biking, reading, keeping up to date on health policy
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Revere Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: In addition to unparalleled clinical
training and a strong commitment to primary care, MGH has an amazing array of resources available to
those interested in careers combining health systems improvement, health policy, quality and safety. The
program has a strong track record of producing physician leaders across the country.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The additional layer of support in the form of fantastic
teachers, leaders and administrators, awesome colleagues to work with, and a great outpatient experience at
my community health center.
Future plans: A career combining clinical practice, primary care innovation, health policy, and quality
improvement
Email: nkamo@partners.org
Name: D. Clay Ackerly, MD, MSc
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Washington, DC
Hobbies/outside interests: Tennis, squash, rowing, exploring Boston.
Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine
Continuity Clinic Site: MGH Senior Health
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: In short, community and mentorship.
I joined the primary care program a little late, switching in from the categorical program
as a junior resident. Over the course of my intern year, my interest in primary care geriatrics grew, and the
ability to explore this interest with more focus and guidance was appealing.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: While still new to the program, I have already greatly
enjoyed and benefited from this diverse and impressive community-within-a-community.
Future plans: Clinical geriatrics and health services research/administration.
Email: dackerly@partners.org
Name: Allen Chang, MD
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Westborough, MA
Hobbies/outside interests: Music, tennis, biking, friends, and sleeping.
Medical School: University of Massachusetts
Continuity Clinic Site: Revere Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: The MGH primary care program has
the full rigor of a categorical program, yet it offers additional opportunities for the
development of skills relevant to healthcare in the outpatient setting.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: My fellow primary care residents are all phenomenally
fun, interesting, and down-to-earth individuals, and we all share a common desire to give back to the
communities around us. Additionally, the primary care program serves as family with the larger MGH
program, providing a nurturing environment for growth and personal development.
Future plans: Clinician Educator and Primary Care Medicine
Email: achang10@partners.org

Name: Garrett Chinn, MD
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Hobbies/outside interests: Running, "The Office," siesta, eating food that isn't good for
me (the more unhealthy the better), and techno-gadgetry.
Medical School: Georgetown University
Continuity Clinic Site: Internal Medicine Associates
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: Strong and discrete program
leadership and organization at MGH, balanced emphasis on ambulatory care
What I love about the MGH primary care program: Strong camaraderie between the primary care
residents, abundance of wonderful mentorship and incredible training and career support.
Future plans: I am interested in primary care, infectious diseases, and how technology can improve health
care in the ambulatory setting. I plan to pursue either a general medicine or infectious disease fellowship,
and hope to be a clinician educator.
Email: gchinn@partners.org
Name: Joe Joyner, MD
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: San Juan, PR
Hobbies/outside interests: Outside of the hospital I enjoy reading, going to the gym,
and generally exploring the greater Boston area.
Medical School: Boston University
Continuity Clinic Site: Chelsea Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I came to the primary care program
because I was, and still am, convinced that it would offer me the training and guidance
necessary to become the best primary care physician I could possibly be.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I love the fact that we are a community within a
community. That within the vast expanse that is MGH there is a smaller group of people that share many of
my interests and goals. I also enjoy the company of my fellow PC residents immensely. Being surrounded by
such phenomenal people makes my time in the hospital that much more enjoyable.
Future plans: I plan on molding a career that combines both caring for underserved populations as a PCP,
and international health.
Email: jjoyner@partners.org
Name: Meghan Kiefer
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Hobbies/outside interests: I fit the Seattle stereotype pretty well—I love running,
backpacking, knitting, reading anything from post-modern novels to US Weekly, and of
course, coffee. But my favorite thing to do is spend time with my husband and our two
year-old, Liam.
Medical School: University of Washington
Continuity Clinic Site: Internal Medicine Associates
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I wanted to come to MGH because I think of it as the New
York of residency programs. It’s fast-paced, full of action, lots of characters and little sleep. Being in a place
that people from all over the world come for their care—from the Middle East to the local homeless shelter—
is an amazing experience. I chose the MGH primary care program because I wanted excellent training in
ambulatory medicine and the opportunity to work with clinicians who are leaders in quality improvement,
medical education, and health care policy.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The sense of a community within a larger community.
We have twice-annual primary care retreats, we have monthly dinners with a variety of speakers (and
excellent food). I feel I have every advantage afforded to the categorical interns and more: more mentoring,
more experiences, dare I say… more fun!
Future plans: I plan to work as a clinician-educator and teach medical students and residents, and I also
have an interest in health literacy.
Email: mkiefer@partners.org

Name: Annie Lee
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Parsippany, NJ
Hobbies/outside interests: Church, belly dancing, poetry, eating fruit, doodling,
daydreaming
Medical School: New York University
Continuity Clinic Site: Internal Medicine Associates/Women’s Health Associates
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I was immediately attracted the
program's commitment in producing outstanding primary care physicians. I was even
more impressed with the residents I had met, whose varied interests yet shared commitment for
achievement convinced me this was the place I needed to be.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: Wonderful mentoring! Wonderful clinic experience!
Sense of community with a group of wonderfully intelligent and enthusiastic peers and mentors whose
passion and commitment to primary care continually inspire. I love the self-reflective nature of the program,
for evaluation of ourselves, of the program, of being a physician-in-training in general.
Future plans: I'm excited to combine my clinical interests in women's health and immigrant health with my
pedagogical interests in medical education.
Email: aalee@partners.org
Name: Dave Munson
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
Hobbies/outside interests: Cooking, golf, running along the esplanade, going out to
eat in Boston, following Boston sports teams
Medical School: Tufts
Continuity Clinic Site: Charlestown HealthCare Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: The ability to work with leaders in
primary care combined with getting excellent training at MGH.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: 1) Co-residents and faculty have been fantastic 2) That
we (as residents) are given exposure to leaders in various fields of primary care 3) Smaller community within
somewhat large sized residency program is great.
Future plans: Some combination of primary care, homeless health care and maybe ID.
Email: dgmunson@partners.org
Name: Sara Schwanke-Khilji
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Salem, OR
Hobbies/outside interests: Immigrant health, Pakistani and Sri Lankan politics, baking,
drinking coffee, the New York Review of Books (perfect for my now shortened attention
span), community health development.
Medical School: Mount Sinai
Continuity Clinic Site: Revere Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I am convinced that primary care and
preventive medicine is and should be the cornerstone of a healthy society and health system (even if all
signs are to the contrary!). My research in the past has focused on issues of health care access, and primary
care is an essential component to ensuring adequate and necessary care at a population-wide level.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The people, and the abundant collegiality and support
that they have brought to my residency experience. My clinic time, for the space and respite it provides from
the high turnover of the wards. My clinic patients, for the opportunity they give me to create long-lasting
relationships and to observe long-term progression and management of illness.
Future plans: Ideally a mix of clinical work, focusing on vulnerable populations, health policy research and
advocacy.
Email: sschwanke-khilji@partners.org

Name: Renu Tipirneni
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Northport, NY
Hobbies/outside interests: Hiking/outdoors, classical music, good food, chatting with
family and friends, sipping tea, riding my bike along the Charles, getting to explore New
England activities like apple picking for the first time
Medical School: UCSF
Continuity Clinic Site: Chelsea Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: Combination of excellent clinical
training, opportunity to work with underserved populations and access to the rich academic world of health
policy/public health in the Boston area. It is impressive that we get to care for a diverse often underserved
patient population with the resources available to a place like MGH.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The experience at the health centers and the smaller
community within this large internal medicine program. I feel blessed to not only be part of the community in
Chelsea caring for patients there, but also of the primary care program residents and mentors. I value my
friendships with co-residents who share common goals and visions for how to shape the future of health
care, as well as the openness of faculty to support us as we grow as clinicians and define our career
trajectories. Having potlucks with my co-residents in my class has been one of the best parts of residency.
Future plans: Primary care/general medicine with a focus on caring for underserved populations and health
policy/health care reform.
Email: rtipirneni@partners.org
Name: Sarah Wakeman
Year: PGY 2
Hometown: Berkeley, California
Hobbies/outside interests: Backpacking, traveling, running, writing, spending time with
family and friends, good food and wine (red), Flour Bakery (a good reason to move to
Boston), good books.
Medical School: Brown University
Continuity Clinic Site: Charlestown HealthCare Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I chose the primary care program
because of the sense of community and being a part of a small group of like-minded people, within the larger
group of medicine residents. The primary care program has a strong and important focus on the larger policy
and advocacy issues that to me are so important in medicine. The focus on training the future leaders in
primary care and medicine in whatever shape each resident may envision allows for both direction and
guidance as well as individual creativity and growth. The monthly dinners are a great chance to discuss
interesting topics in medicine and career planning, and a nice chance to have a meal with a small group of
residents.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: See above
Future plans: I’m interested in HIV and primary care, as well as addiction medicine. I’m considering doing a
General Medicine and HIV combination fellowship versus an Infectious Disease fellowship. I would love to
teach and be involved in academic medicine throughout my career. I’m also interested in clinical research
and continuing to write, both medical writing and creative writing.
Email: swakeman@partners.org
Name: Allison Ackerman
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut
Hobbies/outside interests: Ashtanga yoga, spending time with friends and family,
golfing, running and playing frisbee with my beloved dog, Gwen.
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Internal Medicine Associates
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: To have the incredible experience and
training of this amazing hospital, with the added support and mentorship of a smaller program.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: My wonderful continuity clinic preceptor, Dr. Fosburgh
and the way the program nurtures my interest in alternative and complementary medicine.
Future plans: Either primary care practice or a fellowship in alternative and complementary medicine or a
fellowship in rheumatology.
Email: aackerman@partners.org

Name: Rachel Bender Ignacio
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Hobbies/outside interests: Ultimate frisbee, nordic skiing, cycling, backpacking, yoga,
cooking good food with friends, and salsa dancing.
Medical School: University of Washington
Continuity Clinic Site: Chelsea Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I was excited to join this small group of
people who are passionate not only about clinical medicine but also improving the health care system in our
country and especially the delivery of care to disadvantaged populations.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: A small cohort within the larger residency program with
similar interests; special events, lectures, and mentoring opportunities within the Primary Care program; a
closer connection to community medicine and some really great preceptors at the community clinics.
Future plans: I am planning to apply for ID fellowship with the hope of doing HIV primary care and clinical
and operations research in global HIV/ID.
Email: rabender@partners.org
Name: Lindsay Jubelt
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Syracuse, NY
Hobbies/outside interests: Running, contemporary art, film, going out for dinner,
spending time with friends
Medical School: SUNY - Stony Brook
Continuity Clinic Site: Charlestown Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I chose the primary care program
because they were able to offer support and mentorship for my interests in health care policy. In addition, it
served as home with like-minded residents within the broader residency program.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The primary care program provides a supportive
environment and excellent mentorship for those with career interests beyond the hospital walls.
Future plans: I am interested in a career in domestic health care policy focused on improving the quality and
reducing the costs of our healthcare system. Next year I will be a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at
the University of Pennsylvania.
Email: lindsay.jubelt@partners.org
Name: Gina Kruse
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Kersey, Colorado
Hobbies/outside interests: Travel, backpacking, running, skiing, mountain biking,
reading, and scuba diving
Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine
Continuity Clinic Site: Charlestown Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: The smaller community within the
residency and wonderful mentors in primary care. The extra time in continuity clinics is wonderful.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I love the retreats and monthly dinners, it is a great
time to see your fellow PC residents and the speakers are fantastic, leaders in the field. Getting to work in
the Charlestown Health Center is one of the highlights of residency, a really diverse patient population in a
community with a fascinating history. The health center feels like another community within my residency
community.
Future plans: I will start a general medicine fellowship here at MGH this summer. I am interested in doing
academic health services research with an emphasis on improving access and quality for underserved
populations including rural and international populations.
Email: gkruse@partners.org

Name: Brittany Lee
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Hayden Lake, ID
Hobbies/outside interests: Enjoy the outdoors - hiking, biking, and swimming.
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Internal Medicine Associates/Women’s Health Associates
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I came to MGH for residency since the
primary care program offers rotations in a variety of ambulatory settings and allows you to
tailor your training to your interests - both of these features make the primary care program tops at MGH.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I love developing strong relationships with patients in
my continuity clinic.
Future plans: Interested in women’s health issues, especially preventative cancer screening.
Email: blee7@partners.org
Name: Raj Panjabi
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Monrovia, Liberia
Hobbies/outside interests: Bhangra folk dance, reading, running, basketball, enjoying
Boston with my wife
Medical School: UNC-Chapel Hill
Continuity Clinic Site: Chelsea Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I wanted to work with colleagues and
mentors who fully embrace the “primary care creed”: an unrelenting attention to the wide range of forces –
biological and social – that impact on patients’ life-outcomes.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I also appreciate the PC program leadership’s respect
and encouragement of developing a full range of skills in clinical medicine, research and policy work to tackle
these forces.
Future plans: To help reduce health and social inequities through clinical service for the poor, research on
healthcare delivery in settings of poverty and policy work on promoting health as a human right. Much of my
work is channeled through a non-profit organization, Tiyatien Health (http://www.justiceinhealth.org), which I
helped launch with HIV patients and rural communities in my country of origin, Liberia. TH builds equitable
models of primary healthcare within the public sector.
Email: rpanjabi@partners.org
Name: Dina Reiss
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Hobbies/outside interests: Swimming, bike riding, movies, dinners with friends/family,
my cats in Toronto (miss them terribly!), reality TV shows (yes I’ll admit it!),
Medical School: Rosalind Franklin/Chicago Medical School
Continuity Clinic Site: Revere Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I came to the primary care program at
MGH for numerous reasons: first of all, it allowed me to work in an under-serviced community not far from
MGH. The chance to educate my patients and offer them resources they wouldn't otherwise have. The large
variety of clinics during our ACR months, such as orthopedics, dermatology and rheumatology. The
opportunities to learn procedures, such as joint injections and lumber punctures during ACR (which I am
likely to use in my future PC clinic). MGH does a terrific job in educating residents at becoming top notch
primary care physicians, this is true in terms of education, procedures and career guidance.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: The great variety of experiences that we have for our
ambulatory blocks. The feeling of congeniality among my fellow interns and residents. The help I get from my
preceptor for future career planning. The incredible resources we have here at MGH and in my clinic, in
terms of electronic medical records and ancillary staff.
Future plans: Primary care practice in a resource poor community/working with residents as a clinician
educator in the ambulatory setting.
Email: dreiss@partners.org

Name: Cindy Ta
Year: PGY 3
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Hobbies/outside interests: Spending true quality time with friends and family, trying new
foods and dessert, musical Broadway shows, live music.
Medical School: University of Hawaii
Continuity Clinic Site: Revere Health Center
Why I came to the MGH primary care program: I wanted to come to a program that
would make me a strong clinician with strong ambulatory training since the majority of residency training is
inpatient training. I've known few people who say that they wish that they had more inpatient training but
many have said that they wish that they had more ambulatory training. For this reason, I primarily looked at
primary care programs. I chose MGH because I felt that I would get great training and mentorship. I wanted
to be in a program that applies evidence-based medicine to the "art" of medicine, and there are many
mentors here who can help me to develop this skill.
What I love about the MGH primary care program: I appreciate the fact that we have a separate family
within a family. Everyone is very supportive of our individual goals. Most importantly, in an era where many
people deem primary care unrewarding, there are a lot of MGH primary care faculty and mentors who enjoy
both primary care and teaching. They have been great role models.
Future plans: Primary care/general medicine and medical education