Current Housestaff

I’m a Kansas native, though if asked will likely claim New York City as my true home. I have been extensively involved in issues related to reproductive health and HIV and have held leadership positions within the only WHO recognized medical student organization, the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations, as well as within the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). Prior to beginning residency training, I spent one year as the Global AIDS Fellow for AMSA, representing US medical students and residents on Capitol Hill as well as leading the organization’s grassroots organizing and educational programming within the US and abroad. I plan to pursue a career in cardiology and to continue my work in broad solutions to access to prevention, treatment, and care in underdeveloped countries upon completing my medical training.

I grew up in a small town in India. After completing medical school in India, it was time to pursue “The American Dream”.  The journey started with a short stint exploring the world of basic science research in the field of cellular immunology and cancer biology.  After spending one year in the family medicine, I decided that Internal Medicine at KU Med was where I truly belonged (Go Jayhawks!).   I am enjoying the ride thus far, thanks to the excellent navigators (program directors, attending, and chiefs) and wonderful companions (all the residents). Above all, Kansas City is a great town to live in and KU Med is an amazing place to work.

I am a Midwest girl born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri.  I headed to the west coast for college and majored in Biology at San Diego State University.  After college I worked in an academic lab as a technician.  Medical school moved me from sunny southern California to the majestic San Francisco Bay area.  After being away from home for 10 years I was ready to come home.  I starting looking into Midwest residency programs and, after my interview at KU, I was sold.  The program was organized, the didactic sessions were impressive and the residents and attending were wonderful and personable.  After interview day I already felt that I fit into the KU family.

I am so happy to be in Kansas City again.  Not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at our city skyline and our beautiful greenery, appreciate the lack of traffic and love hanging out with the new friends that I have made here at KU.  KC has all of the entertainment of a big city without the chaos.  I love to go to concerts.  KC has many fantastic venues and we are included on almost all concert tours.

A bit of advice during the interview process is to be yourself and look for a program that fits your personality.  If you like the people you work with you will be a much happier person!

I grew up in the Kansas City area and attended medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. I am married with a son and we currently have a home in Liberty, MO.  I was previously a software engineer for six years before deciding to go to medical school and will pursue a career as a hospitalist after residency.  I chose KU after rotating here my fourth year of medical school.  The residents seemed competent and well trained and there seemed to be camaraderie amongst them.  KU has great attending physicians and the training is excellent with a wide variety of sometimes very complex pathology.  I would recommend that you just be yourself during the interview process and choose a program where YOU will feel most comfortable.  Kansas City is a great place to live; it has everything you need in a big city with a hometown feel!

Although I was born in Houston and grew up in Chicago, I would consider Kansas City my hometown.  I left for a bit and attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas for undergrad, but returned to Kansas City for medical school at the University of Kansas.  Kansas City is a great town, with incredibly friendly people, delicious restaurants, and always plenty of things to do.  One of the best things about the Midwest is having all 4 seasons during the year, so that you can truly enjoy winter and fall.  If I was interviewing again, I would be more relaxed.  Much of the interview process is just seeing if you fit in and enjoy being with the people who are going to be your future colleagues.

I was born and raised in Kansas but ventured to the University of Nebraska for college, where I majored in piano performance. Somewhere in the midst of my undergrad training, however, I realized that medicine was my true calling. While a medical student at KU I further determined that I wanted to pursue a residency in internal medicine. The attending physicians were approachable and eager to teach, and now as an intern I am honored to work with a group of residents whose compassion and commitment to excellent patient care continually amaze me. Our program provides an excellent support system, and we also manage to have some fun together while not working. I know that no matter what career path I take I will be well prepared thanks to my training at KU.

I originally hail from the great state of Missouri, but was born and raised a true Jayhawk . Although I grew up on the other side of the border, I attended college at The University of Kansas and enjoyed every moment.  I returned to Kansas City, Missouri and attended medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.  During my fourth year in medical school I had the opportunity to rotate through the Intensive Care Unit at KUMC.  From the first day on service, I knew that KU Med was the program for me. I saw how the attendings and residents truly enjoyed being there every day and had a passion for teaching. I felt comfortable asking questions and felt at home with all of the other residents. As an intern, I still witness this on a day-to-day basis.  I am proud to be part of a program that strives to make improvements, to become the best of the best daily. Regardless, of which path you choose: a specialist, primary care physician or hospitalist, KU has every resource to help you get there; you will enjoy your journey!  Kansas City is a wonderful place to live. It is a city with Midwestern values and plenty of exciting things to do. I especially love the proximity to all of the KU sporting events!!! Rock Chalk!!! My advice to applicants is to do your research on all the programs you are interested in. Review your choices carefully, but in the end, follow your instincts.  Select a program that makes you feel the most comfortable, because this will be the place where you learn the most and the one you will call home.

I am originally from Mendenhall, MS and attended college at William Carey College where I received a degree in Psychology. I attended medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.  KU was my choice for residency because of the camaraderie between the residents, the excellent quality of faculty/staff, and the diversity of patients and medical problems you encounter at this institution. I am an avid sports fan and Kansas City is an epicenter for sports fanatics with the Kansas City Chiefs, Royals, Wizards, Big 12, and NASCAR.  When looking for a residency program my best advice would be to find the program that bests fits you, and trust your gut instinct because it’s almost always right.

Growing up in Ames, Iowa, it wasn’t a tough decision to attend Iowa State University for my undergraduate degree.  After ISU, I decided to venture a distant thirty miles south to attend Des Moines University for my medical education.  Continuing my trek south, I have landed in Kansas City at the University of Kansas.  I chose KU because of the amazing camaraderie I noticed during my interview day.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the residents at the pre-interview day dinner, and enjoyed getting to know more of the residents during lunch the following day.  The program is versatile, flexible, and allows one to focus on their goals while also broadening their perspectives to be a well rounded internist.  In addition, Kansas City has a great “big city” feel, with plenty of entertainment, but without the cost and traffic!

Despite the fact that I’ve only geographically moved 3 hours in my lifetime, I am an avid traveler!  I had great experiences internationally during medical school, undergrad, and childhood, and hope that someday I’ll be able to apply an international aspect to my future career, either full or part time.

The best advice I can offer a potential applicant is to trust your instincts and stay relaxed.  Don’t be scared to ask the residents hard questions that may be important to you.  We will be there as a resource for you to get the best feel for the program that you can.  The process should be fun, and is the culmination of all your hard work during medical school, so don’t forget to enjoy yourself!  Have fun!

I grew up just outside of Kansas City in Olathe, KS.  When I graduated high school, my future career plans were still a question mark, but after only a semester of college at the University of Missouri, I realized that my interest in science combined with my passion for helping others made medicine a clear choice.  I came back to KC for med school and during 3rd & 4th year, I got to travel to several other hospitals around the nation.  Although it was fun to travel, I realized how nice it was to be close to home.  After a couple of rotations at KU Med, I knew that this was the place for me.  The fellowship and research opportunities available to residents, as well as the emphasis placed on education are just a couple of the reasons why I chose KU Med for residency.  There are regularly scheduled events for residents to just go out and have fun together, which I think is essential to remaining sane during residency J  Kansas City is a great place for young professionals…I had the choice to move to other cities, and I still chose KC!  The advice I would give to applicants is to think about whether the residency program and the atmosphere of a hospital jive with your values and personality.  Residency is quite a time commitment wherever you go, but if you like your program and the people around you, you'll be excited to go to work every day!

One of the main reasons I chose the University of Kansas was for the opportunity to become an active member at a premier mid-western teaching and research institution. Just a few months into my intern year, I have already been able to pursue my research interests in order to better prepare myself for fellowship. Originally from central Nebraska (Go Big Red!) it was important for my wife, my dog Wrigley, and I to be close enough to home, yet be in an urban environment full of modern conveniences.  The city’s character shines through its many different neighborhoods, and the town offers a unique perspective every few blocks.  After attending Creighton University for undergrad and Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school, I wanted to pursue a residency program with a similar collegial atmosphere and feel that I have found that here at KU.  When considering residency programs, my advice is to choose a place where you could see yourself truly enjoying working with your colleagues. It is the people with whom you surround yourself with during the day, when you are not rounding, that really make your experience enjoyable.

Christopher Avila, MD