Third Year

Jessica Bauer, M.D.
Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 
Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University
Why MUSC: I chose MUSC for many reasons, but mainly based on how positive of an experience I had on interview day! All the residents and faculty were so welcoming and seemed very happy to be a part of the program. For me personally, I also loved that the program was mid-sized, based at a stand-alone Children's Hospital and the program leadership/faculty truly appeared committed to the residents and their education. As a bonus, Charleston is a fantastic city, and I couldn't wait to move and experience the cuisine, beaches, and southern charm that the area has to offer!

Haley Burdge, M.D.
Medical School: State University of New York at Upstate Medical University
Undergraduate: State University of New York at Binghamton University
Why MUSC: The first thing that stood out to me during my interview day at MUSC was how the program leadership and residents genuinely seemed to care about getting to know us as individuals more than any other program I interviewed at. Faculty and residents seemed genuinely happy there and the size of the program (being on the larger side, but not huge) definitely seemed to contribute to the close knit environment. I was also incredibly impressed by the hospital itself and was confident that I would get excellent training in both general and subspecialty pediatric medicine. Lastly, I knew residency would be difficult regardless of where I trained, and the opportunity to live in such a beautiful, vibrant city where I would have lots to do outside the hospital year round made MUSC the total package!

Caroline Conroy, M.D.
Undergraduate: Indiana University
Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Why MUSC: Before my interview day, MUSC fit every aspect of what I was looking for in a program on paper. I knew I wanted a medium sized program that would allow me to get to know all of my co-residents, while still having the abilities and learning opportunities of a large medical center. During my interview day, I felt an overwhelming sense of acceptance from everyone I spoke with. It was clear that the residents here are supported in every aspect of their training. I knew moving several states away from home would be challenging, but it was apparent everyone here is family to each other and would quickly feel like family to me too!

Natalie Eidson, D.O.
Medical School: Rocky Vista University 
Undergraduate: University of Colorado, Boulder
Why MUSC: What initially stood out to me about MUSC was the strength of the curriculum as well as the dedication to teaching. I then had the pleasure of experiencing this program as a medical student which reinforced my eagerness to become a member of this family. The faculty and residents at MUSC are phenomenal as everyone is incredible supportive and fun the be around. As a student, I felt welcomed and a was treated as a valued member of the team. I learned not only is there devotion to education but also the well-being of their residents which overall made MUSC a great place to train.

Stephanie Hayden, M.D.
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Kentucky
Why MUSC: MUSC checked off many of my boxes because it was a stand-alone children’s hospital, offered a robust education in primary care and specialties alike, and was a medium-sized program with great mentorship aspects.  However, MUSC went above and beyond my “checked boxes”. It was a place where program leadership was invested in the success of each resident, not only professionally, but in all aspects of their lives. You could tell the residents genuinely enjoyed spending time with one another and considered each other family. On top of that, the city of Charleston was a bonus and never disappoints with fun activities to do! 

Laken Johnson, M.D. 
Medical School: Florida State University
Undergraduate: Troy University
Why MUSC: It was love at first zoom interview! Everyone I came in contact with throughout the day was exceptionally kind and welcoming. The residents seemed to genuinely like each other and have fun together! Their enthusiasm for sharing about the program excited me, and the respect and appreciation for Dr. Mills and the teaching faculty was obvious and unmatched. I found myself comparing every other interview to MUSC! I always thought I wanted to end up in the Carolinas, and I am so glad MUSC is where I landed. When I got a call from Dr. Mills and the Chief Residents on Match Day, I knew I was home!

Megan Murphy-Jones, M.D.
Medical School: Mercer University School of Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Georgia
Why MUSC: Before I even entered college, I hoped to one day work at MUSC - I fell in love with Charleston on visits to family and heard their first-hand accounts of how incredible SJCH was. Even with virtual interviews I knew this program was everything I had hoped for and more; the enthusiasm with which I was received by everyone was nothing short of incredible, and their commitment to helping their residents succeed was evident. I knew MUSC would give me wonderful training, great exposure to my subspecialty of interest, and the chance to explore medical education and research. Maybe just as importantly, I knew I would be part of a welcoming, supportive community.

Mary Klopp, D.O., MS
Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Graduate School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: Fordham University
Why MUSC: During my time as a sub-intern, I was exposed to fantastic educators, vast pathologies, and state-of-the-art therapies. I knew no matter where my career may take me, training at MUSC would prepare me well! The Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital is an incredible facility filled with people who strive for excellence while always remaining humble. Charleston is a beautiful city; a great place to live, work, play, and explore! I feel privileged to be a part of the MUSC family! 

Katie Lants, M.D.
Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Undergraduate: Northwestern University
Why MUSC: MUSC had everything I was looking for during my interview season, from a mid-size residency program to a standalone children's hospital. I also wanted a program that emphasized advocacy and was clearly invested in its community, and I found that to be the case during my MUSC interview. Finally, (like everyone else) I will say "the people," but specifically, the residents I met in the interview process seemed relaxed and like they had fun while being MUSC residents. And our program director is one of the most engaging and enthusiastic PDs I met in the entire process. Plus having beaches here doesn't hurt!

Keegan McKim, D.O.
Medical School: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: University of Maine
Why MUSC: I was fortunate enough to have an away rotation that showed me first-hand how special MUSC Pediatrics is. The faculty are all supportive and eager to teach. The residents were friendly and welcoming, making me feel like part of the team from the very start. The leadership of the program made it apparent that the residents were extremely well supported. Needless to say I became very excited at the prospect of training with MUSC Pediatrics. Now knowing that I will be able to complete my residency training with all of the wonderful people I met at MUSC in such a beautiful location is truly a dream come true.

Samantha Russell, D.O.
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Undergraduate: James Madison University
Why MUSC: MUSC stood out to me due to the large variety of subspecialties offered while being a medium-sized program, strong advocacy curriculum, and enthusiasm shown by everyone I interacted with on my interview day. It was obvious to me how supported the residents felt by their peers, faculty, and ancillary staff, and I knew this was the type of atmosphere where I would want to complete my training. Finally, the opportunity to work in a beautiful new children’s hospital in a city surrounded by amazing beaches solidified my decision to choose MUSC!

Michael Ryan, M.D.
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina
Undergraduate: Appalachian State University
Why MUSC: After being here as a medical student, I’ve been able to experience what makes MUSC pediatrics special.  All of the faculty help create a strong team atmosphere and are clearly committed to teaching.  The leadership are extremely supportive and truly care about everyone.  Whenever I’ve worked with the pediatric residents, they’ve always been kind, fun, and extremely knowledgeable.  Outside of how wonderful the people are, the new children’s hospital is truly a one-of-a-kind place to train, and there are endless opportunities within the program to pursue different career interests.  Lastly, Charleston is an incredible place to live.  I’ve loved everything about the MUSC pediatrics program and never had any doubts about wanting to stay here for residency!

Lucy Tomb, M.D.
Medical School: Tulane University
Undergraduate: Bowdoin College
Why MUSC: My ideal residency was a mid-sized program in an urban free-standing children's hospital. MUSC checked those boxes, but I fell in love with the program because of the people I met. Everyone took a genuine interest in who I was both in the context of medicine and who I was when I wasn't in the hospital. The residents seemed extremely fulfilled both personally and professionally; thrilled to be in Charleston and at MUSC. It was clear program leadership was consistently supportive and always working to improve the program. The fact that I get to train with these people in a beautiful, state-of-the-art children's hospital in a vibrant coastal city beyond what I could have imagined for residency!

Allison Willis, M.D.
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina
Undergraduate: University of South Carolina
Why MUSC: I chose MUSC because I knew that I would receive excellent training while working with a wonderful group of people, which were my two main priorities in choosing a program. As a medical student at MUSC, I had the opportunity to see firsthand that this program truly had everything I was looking for. I saw that this group of residents and faculty really prioritized supporting each other and were awesome to work with. I loved the breadth of exposure to many different subsets of pediatrics and the faculty’s dedication to teaching and mentorship. All of this plus a fantastic new children’s hospital and living in beautiful Charleston made my decision to stay so easy.