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Why KU?

Hear from some of our residents about why they chose KU and what they have experienced in the internal medicine residency program.


Taylor Adams Why KUTaylor Adams, Class of 2024

Why KU?! How much time do you have? To be honest, I grew up in Missouri and never thought I'd find myself wearing any Jayhawk gear. I started scoping out academic centers around the Midwest and decided to apply to KU because it appeared to be a well respected academic institution with a lot of resources for someone like myself who did not know (still doesn't know) exactly what career path they wanted to pursue. I'm happy to say, KU Internal Medicine is so much more than that! 

After my interview, I remember telling my husband I would be so sad if I didn't match at KU. I felt a sense of belonging and just overall happiness just by talking to Drs Thomas & Abebe, our coordinator Abby, and all the residents on my virtual interview day. Everyone seemed excited to talk to me and appeared to truly enjoy the company of one another. This has held true throughout my time as an intern thus far. I never really thought I would actually enjoy residency, but the people I work alongside make the tough days better by their friendly attitudes and teamwork. I never feel like I'm alone which is SO important when you're a brand new intern. My co-residents are extremely supportive in every way - bringing me donuts on my first clinic day, meeting me in the parking garage so I don't get lost in the morning, taking an admission so I don't have to stay late. I could go on, but I think I'm getting my point across! 

The 3+1 schedule is AMAZING in terms of work load balance and ability to tailor your schedule to your personal interests. Just today, I was talking with our APD about the opportunity to add in more outpatient procedure clinic experiences because I am interested in furthering my skills. It's really special to be able to explore many different areas of medicine you may be curious about. 

One thing Dr. Eck emphasized during her presentation on my interview day was the importance of compassion, humility, and excellence. When I think about the type of physician I want to be, these adjectives hit the nail on the head! I am learning from some of the greatest people I've ever met and truly believe KU is the best place for my continued growth as a physician.


Brianna Coogle, Class of 2024

To be completely honest, choosing KU Internal Medicine for residency was one of the easiest decisions I ever made. As a medical student at KU, I got to work with the IM residents and faculty during my 3rd and 4th year rotations. It soon became obvious that not only was the medicine training top-line, but the culture of the program was extremely supportive and had a family-like feel to it. My husband had graduated from medical school at KU two years ahead of me, so I also had some insider input from friends that were already residents in the IM program. Hands down, every single one of them felt tremendously supported and empowered on personal, professional, and wellbeing levels - sentiments that I've come to experience myself since I started as a resident. The patient population that is seen at KU is tremendously diverse with pathologies ranging from the simplest to some of the most complex and rare diseases that are usually taught in med school as diseases that "you'll never actually see." As I've been a resident, I've realized even more that the faculty and physician leaders at KU are even more top-notch than I realized, with national and global leaders in research and clinical care in almost every one of our departments.

I also found myself so attached to Kansas City that I knew I'd miss it too much if I left. KC has a variety of unique cultural segments that combine to make it a great place to live and raise a family. The sports teams are awesome and all have very passionate fan bases (GO CHIEFS!), the school districts are some of the tops in the country, there are festivals and events year-round, and a strong city-wide pride makes for strong social networks and support. So, training at KU gives you the best-of-both-worlds of advanced medical training in the context of an amazing city and having experienced that for so many years I knew that I couldn't let it go.

A special part of KU IM that sealed the deal for me is the specific attention that the program has on supporting female physicians. An astounding proportion of the residency program leadership are women, many with families including children. I also learned that it's quite common among the IM residents to have families and young children, which is supported by the program leadership and fellow residents. On top of that, the IM leadership is actively engaging with the GME office and leaders in the Kansas ACP to advocate for priorities of women in medicine and create support systems for female physicians. Needless to say, as a woman in medicine who wants to have a family and is married to another physician, these factors were huge attractants pulling me to KU IM (and they have even grown since I've been here as a resident).

I'd choose KU time and time again. In my view, there's nowhere better


Anna Malhotra, Class of 2024

As I sit down to write, I'm reminded of something I heard at the beginning of a simulation training session earlier today (read till the end to find out what it is, I promise it's relevant). Hi! My name is Anureet Malhotra, and I am a freshly minted first-year internal medicine resident. I am originally from New Delhi, India where I grew up and received my medical education; before I decided to move 7,751 miles west and call Kansas City home. 

It is well known that the match is a crucial and stressful time, but last year it was also unconventional. With not being able to interview in person, it became much harder to appreciate the subtle nuances that help us decide where we wanted to pursue the final stages of our training. I recall embracing my 'type A-ness' at the beginning of the match season and making a spreadsheet with different scoring criteria (based on what I had heard were important qualities in a program). I did find that to be beneficial, but in the end, it was only objective data for a verrrrrrry subjective choice. And so, I'd like to share some things I have observed after coming here that you may not be able to do virtually. 

Uno, last year I read multiple blogs talk about the importance of autonomy vs supervision, as I'm sure you have by now. At KU, they take it a step further, it's always 'shared decision making. You work as a team, grow as a team, and provide the best possible care together. 

Second, in my three months of residency, everyone I've worked with is immensely helpful (my running theory is that because the program has the work-life balance down pat, people are happy to carve out time from their day to be there for you). I hope that if you end up coming here, you will feel the collegiality every day as I have so far! 

Third and most importantly, The Roasterie coffee here is delish! 

Ps. Here is what I heard, and I believe it rightly captures the essence of what KU stands for - 'We believe that everyone participating is intelligent, capable, cares about doing their best, and wants to improve'


Aliya Rashid, Class of 2025

Why KU? I knew that KU was somewhere I could see myself doing residency from my very first interaction with the residents at our pre-interview virtual happy hour. I remember thinking to myself that the residents looked happy, relaxed, and interacted with each other like they were friends. Something else that stood out to me was the leadership and administrative support – Dr. Eck and Abby were so responsive and alleviated all my anxiety about the residency application process. As the cycle went on and I continued to learn about the KU IM residency program, including the Global Health Track and leadership opportunities, I was getting more excited to start this next chapter of my life.

Today, I am 3 months into my intern year and I feel that same excitement every single time I walk from the parking lot through the most beautiful bridge and into KU Medical Center. The residents are so supportive of one another and want to see each other succeed. We like each other SO much that we even voluntarily spend our spare time outside of work together. Something that our intern class started this year is “weekly liver rounds”, which gives us a chance to explore KC’s bar scene while spending quality time with our co-interns!

This is a program that truly values work life balance. The 3+1 schedule is probably the best out there. Whether you have a family waiting for you at home every day, hobbies/interests outside of work, or even have unexpected life events, KU will do anything they can to support you. Being Canadian, I was afraid of being so far away from my family during residency. But KU has accommodated me so that I can see my family as much as possible even during my intern year. This may sound cheesy, but the IM residency program at KU has also made me feel like I’m at home. The people here are extremely hardworking and intelligent, yet so welcoming, kind, and generous. I am really proud to be a part of the IM residency program at KU and hope that you join us next year!


Brenden Amiotte, Class of 2025

Growing up and doing most of my school in Rapid City, South Dakota, I knew that picking a place for residency was going to be a huge change for me. I spent nearly 25 years of my life in a town of 80,000 people surrounded by friends and family. When I was going through the process of picking out a residency program, I knew I was going to have to push myself out of my comfort zone to get the training necessary to round out myself as a physician. Not to mention I have a wife and two kids that I had to think about in this process and how my decision would affect their lives for the next 3 years. Finding a place that would offer all of this while still having the small town feel that I grew up with was the most important part of my residency search, and I can honestly say that I have found all of that and more at KU. Kansas City is such an ideal place to live during residency. There is such a wide variety of things to do and the people here have been extremely welcoming. Having the ability to go downtown and experience the setting of a large city without having to live in the center of it all is a plus. The Royals and the Chiefs provide excellent entertainment (although I personally am a Broncos fan). The people here also have made the transition from small town South Dakota to a big city so much easier. Patients, attendings, and the my co-interns/residents all come to work and are truly happy to be present which makes the grind of residency so much easier. The staff and residents during the interview process stressed the culture of wellbeing and I can attest that the program not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk. The final thing that has sold me on my decision to choose KU is the level of training that I have received so far. Being at a facility as large as KU that has the reach that it does, I have been able to see so many complex medical cases and I have been empowered by my seniors and attendings to have the confidence to actively partake and steer the course of care for my patients. There is an excellent blend of  I truly believe that there is no better place to learn the intricacies and complexities of internal medicine than at KU and strongly encourage anyone considering internal medicine to consider joining our wonderful team here!


Bridgette Molenda, Class of 2025

While on the interview trail, I had a classmate who was also applying for internal medicine programs. He interviewed at KU a week before me, and afterwards immediately texted me “You’re going to love KU!” A week later, I sent him “You’re right, KU rocks!!!” and we proceeded to gush about how impressed we were by the program.

Throughout interviews, one of the most important aspects to me was the residents. If I was to spend every day of the next 3 years with the same individuals, I wanted to enjoy who I was working with. On interview day at KU, I was immediately struck by how at home I felt when talking to the residents. I felt like I had found my people. They were hard working, empathetic, and light-hearted, cracking jokes with each other while also being open about the drive and determination it takes to complete residency. They displayed a camaraderie I didn’t see anywhere else, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

The structure of the residency and health system also appealed to me. From day one, support is provided through multiple mentors, caring attendings, and high-quality academics. The multiple pathways offered allow further opportunity to personalize the residency experience. At other programs, I had the impression that I was lost in the crowd, while at my KU interview I felt that Dr. Abebe and Dr. Pandya were genuinely interested in my goals and individuality. Talking to them, I was excited about all the possibilities that KU had to offer.

Lastly, Kansas City is the best! I grew up in KC, but attended medical school elsewhere so matching at KU was like coming home. It has a great food scene, amazing sports teams, numerous museums, live theatre, and being in the middle of the country means you can drive anywhere. There’s nothing quite like the midwestern happiness that you’ll find here.

3 months into my time as a KU intern, I can say for certain that KU rocks! If you want to train in a nationally ranked health system, be surrounded by people who feel more like friends than co-workers, and do it in the coolest city around, then KU is the place for you! 


Hannah Steenblock, Class of 2026

I grew up in Ames, Iowa and went to medical school at the University of Iowa. I don't have any family in Kansas or Missouri, and it had been probably 8 years since I had last been in Kansas City when I moved here earlier this summer. My husband, who is originally from Illinois, had never been to Kansas City until after Match Day. So how did we end up here? This story starts all the way back when I was applying for medical school actually. We went on our first date in October of 2018 and I told him I had some interviews coming up for medical school and that I would probably be moving away. Little did I know, at the same time we met he was looking for jobs in Chicago. I opted to stay in Iowa for school and he never took the Chicago job, we are now married ðŸ™‚ Because he stayed those extra 4 years in Iowa for me, I told him for residency we could move somewhere new and more exciting. We sat down and made a list of the things that were important to both of us. I wanted to train at an academic medical center where there would be opportunities to pursue a fellowship, work at a VA, and teach medical students, three things that were very important to me. We both wanted to stay in the Midwest but move to a bigger city where there would be more restaurants,  concerts/shows, shopping, Zoos, parks, etc. We also wanted to live somewhere with a decent cost of living so that we could buy a house - because our fur babies deserve a yard obviously! We did our research, compiled our list, and KU Med was one of the programs that fit every single one of these criteria. 

I looked back at old match data from University of Iowa and saw that people had matched to Internal Med at KU previously (s/o to Chief Resident Dr. Hentzen) so I felt like that was a positive sign. There were also IM residents at Iowa that had gone to medical school at KU and wanted to return to Kansas City after graduation, which I think also speaks volumes about the program and hospital here. My interest was piqued, and I remember feeling so excited to get that ERAS email inviting me for an interview (I guess any interview invite was exciting, but this one I was especially happy about). I purposefully scheduled it after a couple others so I could get my jitters out of the way.

After those first few I realized that virtual interviewing can be really tricky. It can be hard to read people's body language and reactions when you are talking to them on a screen. I had some interviews at other programs that afterwards I felt like I had no idea how they went. It was unnerving and made it hard to know if I would actually be happy there or not. And then I had my KU interview. The residents at the social hour were so friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be here. I remember thinking "I hope I love my residency program and co-residents as much as they do." Which is honestly so important! Residency in itself can be stressful, so it really helps to like the people around you. On my interview day I spoke with Dr. Naylor and Dr. Pandya and they were both so warm and welcoming. I could tell they had thoroughly read my application and had questions specific to me picked out. They showed genuine interest in me. Our conversations flowed so freely, and I never felt put on the spot. I also got the feeling from my interview that KU is really trying to prioritize resident wellness and make sure that everything they require of us is for the sake of our learning and not just to carry the hospital on our back. Burnout is such a real and scary thing and so it felt really important to be somewhere that cares about this. After all was said and done, I told my husband that I felt the most myself during this interview than I had on any other interview day. The rest of the season, everything else was compared to KU, and nothing quite measured up. I went with my gut feeling, and I am so glad that I did. In the month that I have worked here, the program has allowed me to grow so much, and given me so much support while doing so, and I'm just getting started! Furthermore, my husband and I have settled into our new home and are having a great time exploring our new city. I feel like I have the best of all worlds here, training in a nationally ranked hospital system in a super fun Midwest city surrounded by some of the most supportive people.


Carmen Cajina Aguirre, Class of 2026

Why KU? As I look back, I realize that I did not have just one reason for choosing KU, but many! I am originally from Nicaragua, a place known for the warmth of the people, which I have also found here in Kansas City. It was before the interview season that I started learning about all the learning and growth opportunities offered by the Internal Medicine program at KU through their website, but that was just a glimpse of everything this place has to offer.

 Before my interview, I had the chance to attend the Meet and Greet with the residents through Zoom, and I still remember that day. I was surprised by how supported the residents were feeling, and even more importantly, the support was not limited to academic and professional matters but also extended to the personal and family level. There was a moment during the meeting when someone said something funny, and we were all laughing comfortably. In the end, I thought to myself, 'I definitely have to be in this program!'

 When I was interviewing here I immediately met faculty that I felt really connected with and that they were really interested in my own personal learning. That day, I asked Dr. Gillenwater and Dr. Gibbons what makes the program special, and both of their responses had this in common: 'This is a place where you can grow, and everyone is willing to help you achieve that growth.' That was just the first of many events that made me feel supported by the program.

 After matching here, I could confirm that it is not just a program; it is a family of wonderful people! Thanks to Dr. Castillo, Dr. Eck, Dr. Brubacher, Dr. Starr, Abby, and Ashley. I feel like I have the best support coming from all of you. Today I can confidently say that I have found a new family here in Kansas, and it is thanks to them that I feel empowered and supported. I genuinely feel that the community here is super special. Everyone I have met is wonderful, very collaborative, and always willing to help. The program truly advocates for us as residents with Dr. Eck and the Associated Program Directors going the extra mile for residents.

 This is an exceptional program because of its leadership, focus on learning and resident wellness. I hope that you can be part of this amazing team next year!

KU School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
Internal Medicine
Mailstop 1022
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160
Phone: 913-588-6000
Fax: 913-588-3995