Let's begin with a bit about yourself. Where are you doing your residency? How would you introduce yourself to the people reading this? We'd also love to hear about your hobbies and interests :)
I’m originally Syrian, spent some time in Texas before doing medical school at Alfaisal in Saudi. I’m currently doing internal medicine residency at GW and loving it. My hobbies include cooking, baking, and eating, on repeat. I’m also interested in philosophy, science, psychology, and I like to draw/paint from time to time (not very great at it!)
How do you recall your experience of giving the Steps and then applying for the Match?
My experience of the entire journey was overall pleasant and pleasurable because I enjoyed studying medicine for the most part, and the interview process was also fun because I got to visit different places and meet different people while learning a lot on the way. It did put a dent in my wallet though (or should I say, my dad’s wallet - sorry dad!)
Please share your experience of living in the city you're in right now. Any advice for people considering it for residency?
Washington is a beautiful city to live in. You feel like you’re a tourist every day and it’s bustling with diversity. The only downside is how expensive it is.
How is it like to be an Internal Medicine resident at your hospital (George Washington University Hospital)? We'd also love to hear about your future plans (fellowship, etc)
I love working at my hospital because the environment is extremely friendly and non malignant. Everybody is accepting and welcoming for the most part. In terms of fellowship, I’m not certain what I want to do yet and I’m trying to keep an open mind!
Is there something you wish you knew earlier regarding Steps and/or Match that would like to mention?
I would say that I would have focused more on extracurricular activities and leadership building skills, being an effective doctor isn’t just about knowledge and while knowing a lot of facts is important, there are other traits that are very valuable that we don’t encourage as much as we should.
For ambitious medical students reading this (juniors and seniors), what advice would you share with them? This could be related to Steps, US residency, electives or even medical school.
My advice would be to put yourself out there, take every opportunity that you get and try to learn from everybody and anybody. Focus on interpersonal skills and time management because you can’t learn these things from books and they will help you go become a better resident, and above all, stay humble and stay pleasant.
Is there ANYTHING else you would love to mention, even if absolutely random? :)
Thank you for this opportunity to share a bit of my life with you, and remember, keep moving forward, stay humble and keep up the great work! :)