2009 Chief Medical Residents with Department Chairman Douglas E. Vaughan, MD

   Clara Schroedl, MD

Since coming to Chicago 12 years ago, I have been thrilled by the amazing educational opportunities in this great city. After attending medical school at Northwestern University, I was excited by the possibility of continuing on here as an internal medicine resident. I knew I wanted to stay in the Midwest to be near my family, and after interviewing at multiple programs, I realized that Northwestern had everything I was looking for in a residency program: a supportive and collegial environment focused on student and resident education, a diverse and complex patient population, and wonderful guidance for medical research and career development. I have always been so impressed by the dedication of the residents and faculty to making Northwestern a top quality medical center. I truly looked to these people as role models, and I strove to emulate their careers in spirit and accomplishment during my residency.

One feature of our residency program that I feel makes us unique and highlights our focus on resident education is the high quality of our morning report. Morning report is always an enthusiastic discussion amongst the residents, distinguished faculty, and lead by our chief residents. The cases are interesting and full of important learning points and reflect the diversity and complexity of patients we see on the wards on a daily basis. Graduates of our program consistently cite morning report as a highlight of their time here and as an important element in preparation for boards.

An additional strength of Northwestern is the breadth of research opportunities available which not only add to the scientific community, but also allow our residents to match in top fellowship positions. Whether your interests lie in basic science, clinical, translational, or medical education, you will find a mentor here to help you achieve your research goals.

The unique diversity of patients at Northwestern provides a strong educational base to help residents achieve their future career goals. As a large tertiary care center, we have the opportunity to form broad differentials and make rare diagnoses while on the wards, however, we see a high volume of bread and butter medicine that I feel is necessary to train high quality internal medicine residents. Not only are we affiliated with a VA, but we also have continuity clinics in multiple underserved neighborhoods dedicated to serving the uninsured population of Chicago.

After finishing my residency training, I am proud of placing Northwestern residency on my CV. It reflects on my strengths as a physician, a teacher, and a leader. I got married between my second and third year of residency and was able to celebrate with many of the amazing friends I made during my time here. My friends and co-residents inspire me and drive me to be a better doctor. I'm excited to spend the next year with my co-chiefs, Dr. Wayne, and the rest of the Department of Medicine to continue to make our residency the best it can be.

   Mauro Montevecchi, MD

Hometown: Clovis, CA
Undergraduate: University of California at Davis
Medical School: Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine
Career Plans: Cardiology Fellowship, Loyola University Medical Center

Originally growing up in California I was a transplant to the mid-west and Chicago for medical school. When I was looking at residency programs out of medical school, I had an interest in going back to my home state of California, but soon found that it would be more difficult than expected to do so. Not because of the lack of opportunities or competitiveness, but rather what I found at Northwestern during my interview for residency. The Northwestern internal medicine residency program far surpassed any other programs in respects to residency education, professional academic growth, clinical training, and an amazing working environment.

During my interview I was amazed at the general positive attitude of all the residents. It was clear after a short time as an intern that this was no act, but rather the type of attitude and persona that is recruited and nurtured in the Northwestern program. On numerous occasions I have had new fellows and/or attendings comment on the ability of residents to work together and help one another in a way that they had not seen before. I truly believe that this attitude has been created by a “resident first” approach to the program by the programs remarkable administration.

From a residency education perspective Northwestern is the total package. You get to work in a downtown urban environment with a highly mixed socioeconomic patient population; while still being in a hospital setting that allows for a concise, thorough, expedited work-up of any patient. You will take care of an abundant amount of patients with medicare, public aid, and no insurance, who will have a room next to a patient with private insurance. There are ample opportunities for continuity clinics for underserved populations, including the Erie Health Clinic and Komed Health Clinic; both of which attract a severely underserved patient population. Volunteering is available through the free Community Health Clinic; which houses a well supplied pharmacy and is staffed by knowledgeable attendings. The program is at the forefront of residency education with our ACLS and procedure skill simulation labs. Our program director, Diane Wayne, is one of the leaders in the field of simulation education for residents and it has shown great benefits to our residents, fellows, and patient care.

Academic advancement and development is also an exceptionally strong part of our education. There are opportunities in every sub-specialty of medicine in both excellent clinical or basic science research. We have blocked off time as residents to undertake research projects in order to further our comfort and knowledge in the research process. We have very strong support for presenting this research, including poster sessions at Northwestern that allow us to fine-tune our presenting skills. On top of our basic science and clinical trial research, there is an excellent department of preventative medicine which has a focus on epidemiology. Our new department of hospital medicine has a focus on hospitalist medicine and performance improvement research. In short, there’s something for everyone, with any research interest.

During the last three years of my life, being a part of the Northwestern residency program has been a true joy and honor. I feel that I am prepared for any field of medicine that I would desire, and I was given the opportunity to obtain the fellowship of my choice. On top of my academic satisfaction, I have had amazing personal development and am preparing to get married during my chief year. Who would have thought that a guy from California would have chosen a program in Chicago over the California weather? But like Robert Frost said, “Two roads diverged in the woods, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

 Will Bulsiewicz, MD

Internal medicine residency at Northwestern has given me so much more than I asked for. My hope was to become a proficient doctor, attain a competitive gastroenterology fellowship, and with any luck to have some fun along the way. Little did I realize that my time at Northwestern would be a period of tremendous personal and professional growth, far exceeding my expectations, and laying the groundwork for future success.

Proficiency in medicine turned out to be far too modest. Yes, Northwestern will certainly make you a proficient doctor. As noted by my co-chiefs, our educational experience is comprehensive; offering a melting pot of rare diagnoses, complex problems, “bread and butter” medicine, dynamic morning reports, high-yield conferences, motivated teachers, and diverse patient populations. Last year, Northwestern Memorial Hospital provided over $210 million in unreimbursed care and community benefit. It is such a privilege to care for Chicago’s underserved populations at both Northwestern Memorial and the Jesse Brown Veteran’s Hospital because you can make a huge difference in patients' lives and they are extremely appreciative of your care.

But it is the culture at Northwestern t hat will inspire you to more than just proficiency. On your first day of internship, you will be struck by how residents that you’ve never met want to help you out. Seniors helping juniors is a Northwestern tradition passed down through the generations. You will also be surprised to find out how invested we are in your personal and professional development. Our program director, faculty, and co-residents all want to see you succeed.

One marker of success is the ability to secure your desired next step after residency, whether that is fellowship or your first job. Again, the culture rich in support will catapult you to exceed your expectations. Beyond investing in your success, our faculty are also often leaders in their field who excel as mentors. The positive experience I had with my mentor, Dr. John Pandolfino, has cultivated my interest in clinical investigation. Research was not a part of my plan coming in, but my experience at Northwestern has given me a newfound passion that will be a part of my career moving forward. Experiences like this are reflected in our most recent fellowship match, which was extremely successful. Match day was a proud and special day for our program.

On a personal note, I moved to Chicago in 2006 with my girlfriend. I feared that the demands of internship would dissolve our relationship. Fortunately, our residency encourages and supports a life outside the hospital. Chicago also happens to be an incredible city, with great food, neighborhoods, social activities, and professional sports teams. I expect that the friends I made in the hospital will be friends for life. And I’m pleased to say that the relationship did just fine…

Three years ago I moved to Chicago to start residency with modest goals in mind. The supportive environment and excellent mentorship I received at Northwestern has inspired me to strive for something more. I could not be more proud of my residency program, and there is no place that I would have preferred to train. In the next year, I hope to give back to the residency program that has given so much to me. After that, I will bring the skills, work ethic, positive attitude and passion I learned at Northwestern to gastroenterology fellowship. I wish you the best of luck in your quest to find the right match, and encourage you to contact me if you are interested in our program.

   Dan Schimmel, MD

Looking at residency programs can be daunting. There are a multitude of program specifics you are trying to assess and all while trying to present yourself as a valuable prospective resident. The truth is there are a number of excellent programs from coast to coast. On the interview trail you start to see all the important things in a residency program that were intangible before you began. Given the amount of time and energy you spend as a resident, being happy with what you are doing and where you are become paramount. Excelling for the long term requires an atmosphere that allows your own motivation and momentum to propel you to great heights.

My interview and subsequent visits to Northwestern redefined what I wanted for my residency. The program had a different perspective than I saw at other institutions. While all were generally looking for hard-working, well-rounded-pleasant individuals I would want to work with, the Internal Medicine Program at Northwestern appeared to have that as their creed. A great attitude was a necessity in their selection of residents and I can attest that it is one of the themes throughout the three years I have been here.

In addition, the educational experience here is unrivaled. Being at the heart of an urban, metropolitan area, the patient diversity is vast. For a broad experience, you want to know how to treat anyone and navigate their health system regardless of their ethnic or socioeconomic status. The hospital catchment area is wide and Northwestern Memorial Hospital stands as the largest adult tertiary care center in the Chicago-land area. The residents serve at clinics in the underserved areas of Chicago and the associated Veteran's Hospital to provide an even more robust educational experience. Lastly, the name of Northwestern is national and its research arm is active and productive providing numerous opportunities for a resident to catapult their career.

Beyond all the positive experiences I have had in patient care at Northwestern, the life outside residency is just as rewarding. Chicago has a lot to offer in its events, culture and much more. I have started to raise my family here and it has been a great experience for my children and my wife has been very happy here. I plan to remain at Northwestern for Cardiology fellowship and look forward to the educational experience Northwestern University provides.