Emergency Medicine PGY-2 Residents

Interesting fact about you
Even though I grew up in Fresno, I was actually born in Boston and raised as a Boston sports fan.

Hobbies
Hiking/being outdoors, playing golf in a mediocre fashion, cooking Persian food, baking, frequenting farmers markets and roadside fruit stands, discovering the best ice cream and boba spots, painting, carving pumpkins (seasonally), watching anime, playing board games, listening to soundtracks and alt rock/folk music, singing karaoke, watching New England Patriots football.

Professional Interests
Ultrasound, medical education, social EM

Why Fresno?
After rotating here as a med student, I knew this was where I wanted to be for residency. The residents, faculty, and staff are so friendly, down-to-earth, and fun to work with. Everyone is dedicated to medical education and to providing excellent patient care for a diverse and underserved population. This program offers incredibly strong clinical training while also allowing us the privilege of providing care to marginalized groups who need it most. It was always a goal of mine to return to my hometown and serve my community, so UCSF Fresno was the perfect fit for me. It's also nice being close to family and getting to enjoy the area's delicious produce and beautiful scenery!

Interesting fact about you
I once won an award on reddit for the best crocheted clothing item of the year.

Hobbies
Playing video games, crocheting, camping, nail art, EDM, secretly wishing I was a kitty, and trying new restaurants with my husband.

Why Fresno?
Fresno has such a diverse patient population with all of the different pathologies you could possibly imagine. The faculty here are so invested in helping us become the best doctors and my co-residents are some of the most supportive people I've ever worked with. I know that the training here will allow me to practice anywhere in the world with confidence in my skills and knowledge.

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
Within EM, I'm interested in addiction medicine and social EM. Outside of the hospital, I enjoy running, preferably on trails, and generally spending time outside. I'm looking forward to working on my climbing and skiing skills now that the Sierra Nevada are in my backyard.

Why Fresno?
Fresno had everything I was looking for in an EM program - mission driven, caring for a largely underserved patient population, and with a rigor and acuity that would prepare me to work anywhere. Most importantly though, even in the age of zoom when programs and people tend to blur together, the program stood out for having some of the most kind and down-to-earth people I met along the interview trail. The proximity to both the mountains and the California coast is an added bonus.

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
NBA and pick-up basketball, billiards, RISK (board game), Tae-Kwon-Do, Greco-Roman wrestling, pour-over and single-origin coffees, hiking, running, and podcasts on politics, history, and economics

Why Fresno?
Amazing EM training with a unique geographic opportunity to care for patients from rural, suburban, and urban settings. Spectacular hikes and views given proximity to Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks. Central Valley produce is second to none.

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, camping, backpacking, and snowboarding. I also love music (especially jazz), and am an avid supporter of marching and performing arts. My main instrument is the drums and I have had the opportunity to perform with many ensembles including jazz bands, pit orchestras, the UCLA "Solid Gold Sound" Marching Band, and the Blue Devils B drum corps. I also enjoy developing skills in audio recording, engineering, and production. During my free time I can also be found attempting to cook, pretending to be a mixologist, playing board games, and exploring breweries and restaurants.

My professional interests include EMS, mobile and austere healthcare, process and quality improvement, and informatics.

Why Fresno?
It was clear that Fresno provides exceptional, well-rounded training through its large catchment area, diverse patient population, and close-knit group of residents and faculty committed to serving and advocating for the community. I am also excited by the opportunities to explore and grow in my interests through the Area of Concentration and Parkmedic Program. And being close to family, friends, and great outdoor areas is hard to beat!

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
I love any excuse to be outside; whether going on a hike, taking day trips to the beach, or going on adventures in different countries around the world! In my downtime, I love to play board games/categories with friends, read, or cook/bake (especially for friends and family!).

Why Fresno?
UCSF Fresno's Emergency Department holds a special place in my heart since it was where I was first introduced to medicine. Fresno's patient pathology and volume are unparalleled, making it the ideal place to train for EM. I feel incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to come back and serve the community of my hometown. The city of Fresno is also an extraordinary place. It is set in a geographically ideal location in the middle of California and is home to some of the kindest, most hard-working, and most diverse people you will ever meet!

Other advanced degrees/where?
M.S. in Clinical Anatomy from Creighton

Interesting fact about you
I once went to a paintball tournament in Oklahoma that was a reenactment of DDay as well as several other World War II battles. It involved several thousand people.

Hobbies
Snowboarding, Rock climbing, hiking, camping, PC gaming.

Professional Interests
Wilderness Medicine, global health

Why Fresno?
Boy, where do I start. Number one has to be the people. Since my first interaction during a zoom social, everyone has been incredibly accommodating and welcoming and it has felt like home. Second is definitely the pathology. Being a pretty avid snowboarder, I thought I understood the definition of "freaking sick”, but the Fresno ED takes it to a whole new level. Thirdly, the access to the outdoors is unparalleled. We're a two-hour drive from world class skiing, climbing, surfing, diving, and probably a bunch of other things that I don't know about.

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
Guitar, sing, lifting weights, archery, gaming

Why Fresno?
The Central Valley is my home and I could not think of a better place to train in EM.

Interesting fact about you
I was born in Iran and moved with my family to California at age 6 after my parents' names were drawn in the U.S. Green Card Lottery.

Hobbies
Weightlifting, playing basketball, soccer, music production, video games, listening to hip hop and R&B, and playing board games

Why Fresno?
My interview day at UCSF Fresno, I felt like I instantly clicked with all of my interviewers. From residents to attendings, everyone was so approachable, warm, and easy to talk to. It was apparent to me that people were happy in their work environment and had a tightly-knit community that truly cared about each other. The people and culture of a residency program are incredibly important considerations to me, so I knew UCSF Fresno would be somewhere I could thrive and flourish.

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
I enjoy essentially anything active and in the outdoors! Some personal favorite activities include backpacking, climbing, trail running, and skiing. In addition to this, I enjoy reading, spending time with friends, checking out new breweries and dive bars, and watching cheesy action movies and romantic comedies. It's been great living in the Midwest for most of my life, but I'm so excited for the new opportunities moving to Fresno!

Why Fresno?
I knew of UCSF Fresno peripherally for most of medical school through its reputation in the emergency medicine world as well as the Parkmedic program (As a medical student with an avid interest in wilderness medicine). Because of this, when it came time to apply for away rotations it was near the top of my list. Rotating here as an M4 was everything I expected and so much more. The calm, competent demeanor of the residents, the stellar teaching and investment in learners shown by attendings, and the unique patient population who taught me something new about medicine and life every day all drew me to this awesome institution. This was confirmed on interview day when I saw many of the residents and attendings I had worked with before, which once again confirmed that this program had everything I was looking for. UCSF Fresno offers a clear path to the emergency physician I hope to be someday.

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
Galloping horses, struggling up rocks, staying up all night with my cats reading fantasy novels written by women, floating in lakes surrounded by giant trees
Interests: Advocacy for people who use drugs, decarceration, community building, and, on a completely different note, critical care

Why Fresno?
I am incredibly excited to train at UCSF Fresno! During my away rotation, I was immediately hooked by the commitment to teaching students and residents through activities like morning report, the passion shown for advocacy, and the camaraderie between residents. A memorable moment was running into several residents and paramedics at the climbing gym in Fresno, where we swapped stories from the ED as well as climbing beta and found ourselves doubled over in laughter. I cannot wait to learn to care for patients in the central valley alongside the kind and passionate people at UCSF Fresno and CRMC.

Hobbies, fun facts and interests 
I am an aspiring Yosemite climber and Bishop boulderer. Whenever I'm not in the ED or outside climbing, I love to travel and go on adventures with my wife.

Why Fresno?
World-class clinical training and unparalleled access to the outdoors. The Parkmedic Program is also unique and there are ample opportunities to get involved in Wilderness Medicine. The ease of living in Fresno is pretty hard to beat. I left my UCSF Fresno interview knowing that I would become the best version of myself if I trained here.