What are your career goals?
I hope to serve my patients and my community by providing excellent care to all of my patients. I also hope to advance strong, equitable and just health systems around the world that bring quality medical care to all people.
What attracted you to the Duke Family Medicine Residency Program?
I had the chance to meet the Program Director, Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, and a few residents and graduates at the WONCA conference in Seoul prior to my interview, and I learned about how the program was growing and about the opportunities within the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and in other parts of Duke and Durham. I especially liked the community health components of the program that will be an asset to my career interests in community health and in studying and strengthening community health systems.
In your opinion, what makes Duke Family Medicine special?
The wonderful people in the program make it special. Duke Family Medicine seems to have such a great diversity of people and passions within one program, and I am constantly surprised by the experiences and accomplishments I learn about as I meet people here. I am really looking forward to getting to know my co-residents and faculty over the coming years, especially my co-interns as I feel they each bring so much to the table.
What strengths or skills do you have that could be of benefit to the community?
I have a background in research, primarily studying health systems and public health in countries with very different systems than the U.S., which has taught me a lot about our system here and how it compares. I hope to combine this experience with my interests in community health, structural inequality and oppression to work for better health in my community in Durham.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about justice and equity and I hope to let these principles guide my career.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
I love spending time with my wife, Maria. My favorite things are cooking, eating, reading, being outside, traveling, hosting dinner parties, meeting new people and seeing my family.
If you have lived in the area for awhile, what is the best part of living in the Durham/Triangle area?
The weather, the nature, the people. The beach and the mountains are not too far away. Living in a city of this size is perfect because it's easy to get involved in things involving the community and local government.
What is something interesting that not many people know about you?
I used to be a jazz trumpeter at festivals and weddings.
So far, what has surprised you most about Duke?
The racial diversity of the program and the inclusion of anti-oppression material in the curriculum.
Education and Training
University of Colorado, MD
Macalester College, BA in Studio Art