University of Virginia Health System

Elizabeth Brantley
University of Virginia

Hello, and welcome to UVA! My name is Beth, and I grew up in a small town called Franklin in southeastern Virginia. I went to Duke University as an undergrad and came to UVa as a medical student. Although I did not originally plan to stay in Charlottesville when I moved here for medical school, I fell in love with the city and the residency program at UVA. It is a medium-sized, closely knit program that I have found to be well-rounded, supportive, collaborative, and flexible. I am continually impressed by my fellow residents — they are bright, compassionate, accomplished, hard-working, and lots of fun. The faculty are excellent teachers and leaders in their fields but are also very approachable and encouraging. And although the focus of the program is on excellent training in general pediatrics, the curriculum gives us experience in the wide spectrum of subspecialties and prepares us well to go on to fellowship training if we choose.

Outside of the hospital, Charlottesville is a fantastic place to live. It has all the charm of a small town but with the educational, cultural, and recreational activities of a big city. There are plenty of outdoor activities, sports events, concerts, wineries, and restaurants to explore during time off. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to care for children, and I am honored to train in a program with the patients, residents, and faculty at UVa. I look forward to meeting you, and please feel free to contact me with any questions. Good luck with the application process!

Shana Crabtree
University of Louisville

I am originally from Alexandria, Virginia. However, I attended college at Vanderbilt in Nashville, then medical school in Louisville, KY. I looked at residency programs all across the country, and I found that UVA is perfect for me. Academically, the learning experience is excellent. The faculty are approachable, motivating mentors that are very involved in evidence-based research and learning. The program has a great balance between patient care numbers and learning opportunities. Lecture attendance is strongly encouraged no matter how busy you are. The residents are awesome! We have a very team based approach. I feel independent, but I always have support when I need it.

I also love living in Charlottesville. It is beautiful here and the view of the mountains from the hospital is unbelievable. The city is very exercise friendly, and I have plenty of opportunities to hike and bike. UVA also has multiple gyms available for use. Since moving here, I have tubed down the James River, gone apple picking on Carter Mountain, attended UVa football games, and eaten at many fabulous restaurants. My experience at UVA has been very enjoyable, and I am very happy. My advice for you is to enjoy traveling right now, and I hope that you find the right program for you academically, athletically, socially, and personally.

Evelyn Frazier
Case Western Reserve

Hello! I did my undergraduate at UVA, went away to Case Western for med school, and am now very excited to be back to sunny Charlottesville! Having lived in C'ville before, I knew I would love the area, and after interviewing here I knew I had found my place. The people I work with are fantastic. The attendings never seem too busy to teach, and my fellow residents are just such great people to be around, even at 3 in the morning! What I love most, is the flexibility this program allows. I'm looking forward to exploring some of the bioethics and international opportunities available.

Moving to a new place can be stressful, but Charlottesville is a very welcoming town. Even with the business of internship year, I've met lots of people both inside and outside of the hospital. Also, UVA is nestled in such a great location, when things get too stressful, there's always the beach, the mountains or even DC all within a short drive.

Katherine Furman
Chicago Medical School

Hi everyone and welcome to UVA! By now you've probably learned a lot about our program, so I thought I'd tell you a little about me. I'm a Midwestern girl in the land of sweet tea and the southern twang. The last year has been quite an adventure!

I grew up in Chicago, went to college at the University of Illinois, and medical school at Chicago Medical School. I love the city, and moving to a small town was a bit of an adjustment. However, it was the perfect move for me! I live in a beautiful town with the perfect amount of distractions. There are terrific restaurants, wineries, hiking and biking trails and great live music. I'm two hours from the beach and two hours from Washington DC. I love having the mountains in my backyard.

Choosing to come to UVA to complete my residency training in Pediatrics was the smartest decision I've made in a long time. Every day I am surrounded by talented and dedicated professionals in the field of Pediatrics. The teaching is superb and the atmosphere is supportive. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with this amazing group of individuals. I look forward to meeting all of you and would be happy to answer any questions you might have!

Hazel Garrish
University of North Carolina

Hi! I'm Hazel. I am originally from eastern North Carolina, and I've spent the past 9 years in Chapel Hill at UNC:  first for undergrad, then medical school, and for my MPH at the UNC School of Public Health. There's no doubt that my husband and I are Tarheels through and through! When considering residency programs, I was looking for a program that would provide excellent training, a close-knit group of residents, friendly and approachable faculty, and a city that my husband and I could enjoy. UVA and Charlottesville have all of this to offer and more! I've enjoyed getting to know all of my fellow interns and residents, and have had a great time exploring Charlottesville - there is so much to do here! In the future, I am looking forward to practicing as a general pediatrician and getting involved in health policy and public health initiatives and programs.

Cara Haberman
Dartmouth Medical School

I remember I felt a little bit like Goldilocks on the interview trail. I was looking for a program as intimate and friendly as the very small one I was coming from (Dartmouth), but one that had enough volume and diversity that I would see some of everything. I wanted a place where I would be pushed and challenged, but where the people were laid-back and fun. I wanted to go to an academic powerhouse that would help me reach my goals, but I detested the thought of moving to a big city. Was I being naïve? Was I never to find the right porridge? Then I interviewed at UVA, and breathed a giant sigh of relief. The program here is all those things and more.

I have had a great time here, exploring Charlottesville and getting to know my wonderful fellow residents. I love the outdoors and music, and this city has plenty of both:  miles of gorgeous hiking trails just a short drive away, free outdoor concerts all summer long, and a thriving coffee-house music scene. There's also great food and an absurd number of wineries. But really, it's the people that make this program what it is, and both the residents and faculty here are just fantastic.

Jeffrey Harris
Marshall University

Hello applicants! My name is Jeff, and I grew up in a thriving metropolis in Mason County, WV (home of the Mothman, yeah!). While the people there are generally a pleasant bunch, it still never ceases to amaze me how 1,600 people can live together in such harmony. After the hustle and bustle of my upbringing, I wanted to leave the Hollywood lifestyle behind. Needless to say, my wife and I were ecstatic when I matched at UVA.

Charlottesville is a great place to live and work, with a hometown feel that we felt we were missing. I can only say good things about this program so far, and everyone here — from attendings to fellow residents — has done a tremendous job of making the transition into residency as stress-free as possible. If you are a motivated person with a willingness to learn and work as part of a close-knit healthcare team, then you will fit in perfectly here. Any previous softball experience would be greatly appreciated (though by no means required), as our co-ed intramural team is looking to improve upon our one-win season of this past summer. My personal leisure interests include golf, skiing, karaoke, and original Nintendo, among others. If you are looking for more info about the program or simply a competitive game of Tecmo Bowl (note: I call dibs on the 49ers), please feel free to send me an email.

Valentina Intagliata
Wake Forest University

When my husband and I were looking for residency programs, UVA was the only place that we both fully agreed on. I was looking for a Pediatrics program with fun residents, inspiring faculty and a good patient population for both primary care training and subspecialty exposure. So far, my experience has superseded my expectations!

As for the city of Charlottesville...I could see us staying here for awhile. The mountains are a gorgeous backdrop for running and hiking trails; there are limitless restaurants and shops; and the city has year-round cultural events and concerts. I'm so excited about my three years here! Hope to see you around during interview season.

Kathryn Barker Nelson
University of Virginia

Hi everyone! I knew when I started my residency program search that UVA had set the bar high and would be a tough program to beat. As a student here, I was really impressed with the program overall. I knew the residents are great to be with, the faculty are top notch, and Charlottesville is an awesome place to live. I found that there are a lot of great pediatric programs out there, but none could match the atmosphere of UVA pediatrics. I was looking for a medium sized program with all of the pediatric subspecialties where I would get exposure to a wide variety of patients with common pediatric problems as well as the zebras, and to learn from faculty who are experts in their fields. I have not decided if I want to pursue a career in general pediatrics or continue on to a fellowship, and was looking for a program that would train me to be an excellent general pediatrician as well as prepare me for a fellowship of my choice. Most importantly, I wanted to find a group of residents that seemed happy and excited about their learning environment, but still enjoyed a life outside of the hospital. I found all of these things in the UVA program and couldn't be happier with my choice!

I grew up outside of Chicago, with brief stints in New York and London before moving to Northern Virginia at the start of high school. I went to St. Olaf College, a small liberal arts school in Minnesota before moving to Charlottesville for medical school at UVA. My husband and I were able to buy a townhouse with a great deck overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains, and are continuing to enjoy all that Charlottesville has to offer. We've been to several concerts, wine tasting, hiked the many trails, hung out at the downtown mall, and eaten at many of the fantastic restaurants on the downtown mall (I've heard we have more restaurants per capita than New York City!). You can be in Richmond in one hour, Washington DC in just two, and the beach is just a few hours away. Please come join us for an interview and check it out for yourself.

Jeffrey Vergales
University of Virginia

I am ecstatic to be part of the residency program at the University of Virginia. I was formerly a medical student here and briefly left for 2 years of residency training in Cleveland, OH. My wife was accepted as a neonatology fellow here and I was graciously offered the chance to come down and finish my training here at UVA. So it is nice to be able to compare my previous times at a very large residency program and a free-standing children's hospital with the more medium sized residency program here.

At UVA you will see the rarest of the rare as well as bread-and-butter pediatrics. You will spend a significant amount of time in general pediatrics as well as all pediatric subspecialties. I have been incredibly impressed by how welcoming everyone is, especially to me as a new senior resident, and I know that the continuation of my training is at the highest level.

In my free time, I love exploring all that Charlottesville has to offer including all types of outdoor activities, absolutely phenomenal restaurants (and I am very picky!) and a fantastic music scene. It is definitely an enjoyable place to spend your free time out of the hospital.

Roy Wade
Dartmouth Medical School

I am extremely excited to be a part of the UVA community. My wife and I have quickly grown to love the area. During our free time, we enjoy exploring the numerous trails and parks with our shy but inquisitive redbone coonhound. The pediatrics program here is nothing short of tremendous and somehow manages to challenge you daily while providing an open and supportive environment in which to grow and develop as a pediatrician. Each day I find myself amazed by the diversity of clinical cases seen at the hospital and the unrelenting compassion that my peers and attendings display. I feel fortunate to have matched here.

Lauren Youell
University of Virginia

Hi! I grew up in a tiny town called Jarratt, VA, and went to undergrad at VCU, where I met my husband, Blanton. Then I came to UVA for medical school and we both absolutely fell in love with Charlottesville. It has this small town feel that I grew up with, but has plenty of great restaurants, entertainment and cultural experiences. My husband and I are big fans of the great outdoors, so we have really enjoyed having the lake where we live and the mountains nearby.

I also can't say enough wonderful things about this program — the attendings are great role models as physicians and the residents are the best you could find anywhere.  So come find out for yourself, but I'm warning you... many people who come to Charlottesville find it difficult to imagine living anywhere else.