Where did you grow up, reside now, other degrees?

I currently live in Long Beach, NY, but my hometown is Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I am making plans to move to Albany, NY to begin my residency in neurology at Albany Medical Center.

How does it feel to be graduating?

Earning my medical doctorate has been a true life-long goal, so I am beyond excited and proud to complete medical school and continue my medical training.

Are there any other physicians or healthcare professionals in your family?

I am so excited to become the first physician in my family and hope to inspire future generations to enter medicine. I'm very grateful for all the support I've received from my family to make this dream possible.

After graduation, you will be moving to Albany to begin a residency in neurology. Why did you choose that field of medicine to specialize in?

My passion for neurology and medicine came from my childhood. My older brother suffered an ischemic stroke at birth, and I grew up watching him navigate the world with a disability. I had so much exposure to neurology and medicine because of my experiences with my brother, and I started developing empathy from a very young age.

What are some of the highlights of your medical school career?

Some of my medical school career highlights are completing the humanities in medicine concentration, which included the publication of an original poem in Narrateur, and working on the medical humanities and epilepsy advocacy event Spark of Creativity - An exploration of visual art and epilepsy. I also conducted research with a neurologist to assess how changes in cognition and mood in Parkinson's disease affect daily function and the capacity to independently manage medications. This research led to multiple abstract publications and two poster presentations at the Movement Disorder Society Congress 2021. I was the primary author of a case report entitled "Phosphodiesterase 10A Autoimmunity Presenting as Cerebellar Ataxia Responsive to Plasma Exchange: A Case Report.” This report was published in the Journal of Neurology in December 2022 and described a patient with a novel presentation and clinical context of a newly described autoimmune illness. While at the Zucker School of Medicine, I was honored to be inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and to receive the Neurology Departmental Award at Commencement. I also received the Berkshire District Medical Society Scholarship a repeating annual scholarship awarded to a resident of Berkshire County in Massachusetts attending a U.S. medical school and demonstrating academic excellence.

What are your plans as you prepare for residency?

After graduation, I plan on enjoying lots of time with family and friends. I am getting married at the end of May and going on our honeymoon in early June. I have always wanted to become a neurologist, so I'm very excited to be one step closer to working in the field I have been striving toward for decades.

Other than traveling, do you have any hobbies, community service or other things you like to do when not in school?

When I'm not in school, I love spending time with my soon-to-be wife and dog, Milo. I love playing guitar, traveling, eating new and delicious food, and visiting family in the Berkshires.

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