Student Experiences

Delaney Walden

Hometown: Goose Creek, SC

College: Wofford College

Major: Biology and Psychology

MUSC AnMed Experience

Why did you choose MUSC AnMed?

During my time at Wofford, I loved the close-knit feel of the community and the individual attention from professors – I wanted the same experience from medical school, and AnMed provided that to me. I often am the only student with the attending or am sharing the attending’s attention with 3 or fewer other people. There is a closeness that is incomparable and led to incredible recommendation letters for residency that were often complimented in my interview process.

Specialty Interest(s):

I matched to my first choice in Pediatrics but came into medical school and AnMed with several interests including Pediatrics, EM, Orthopedic Surgery, Family, and OB/GYN

How do you best study:

Practice questions and real-life patient interactions are the best ways I learn. The things I remember best are absolutely the cases I have seen and managed in real life.

Favorite study spot (on or off campus):

My couch at home – although I did quite a bit of studying in the med student room at North Campus!

Favorite volunteering experience:

I found my heart lies with Pediatrics volunteering with DocLink which is an AnMed program that travels to the local schools and provides education on safe driving as well as the dangers of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol among other topics. I still volunteer with this experience in my 4th year and am so grateful for the opportunity to educate and connect with kids of all ages.

Favorite social event:

Lake day at Dean Monaghan’s house!! So much fun and great bonding for my class.

Are you involved in any leadership roles?

I have stepped down from most as a 4th year getting ready to graduate but as a third year I had several: I was president of the Military Medicine Interest Group (Go Navy!!), an AnMed Ambassador, the Student Representative on the Anderson Free Clinic Board, as well as the DocLink Group Leader.

What groups/clubs are you involved in?

I am currently involved in the Military Medicine Interest Group, Gold Humanism Honor Society, Discussions in Medical Ethics, Anderson County Medical Society, and Pediatrics Interest Group. In my first 2-3 years I was a representative for Student Government Assosication, involved in the Student Balint Group and several specialty interest groups (EM, Wilderness Med, OB/GYN, Association of Women Surgeons)

What surprised you about medical school?

How much you really do learn and how things that seemed really difficult at first now are almost as second nature as breathing. Also, just how much of a life you get to have – I go out to dinner and concerts and all kinds of things with my friends having fun more often than I anticipated I would.

Anything else you would like to share about your experience at MUSC or the MUSC AnMed Clinical Campus?

If I had to do it all over again, I would.

Living in Anderson

What is your favorite thing about living in Anderson?

I love the little things: not paying for parking, never afraid of flooding, the lower cost of everything, that I can get across town in 15 minutes, and that for the most part I am greeted with a warm smile by everyone I pass whether I know them or not.

What do you like to do in the area?

My friends and I love to go out to eat, go get drinks and play pool at Mag South (a local brewery), go to Braodway shows at the Peace Center, go to Clemson Athletic events (big Women’s Gymnastics fans), and go to our apartment complex pool. We also love going to the lake and like that Atlanta and Charlotte are only 2hrs away so we have gone to braves games and several concerts there (Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Kelsea Ballerini).

How do you like to spend your free time?

I like to read, listen to music, go for walks, go kayaking on the lake, and hang out with my friends. We have hosted fondue nights, dipsgiving (like friendsgiving but everyone brings a dip), super bowl parties, galentines, and game nights. The people here are amazing and my class is so close – anything we do together is fun and how I like to spend my free time.