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Jacinda Mawson, one of 68 graduating medical school students who matched with BWH's prestigious Internal Medicine Residency program last week, is in the market for a nanny. She and husband Dan Nicklas, MD, a pediatrics intern at MGH, are new parents to Amaya who was born here at BWH in January, halfway through Mawson's grueling fourth-year at Harvard Medical School (HMS).
The “absolutely excited” Mawson was one several residents personally welcomed to BWH on St. Patrick's Day by Medicine housestaff and faculty, including Joel Katz, MD, director, Internal Medicine Residency program at a celebratory reception held in Carrie Hall.
“I can't tell you how thrilled we are to have you all match with us,” Katz said in offering a welcoming toast at the reception. “This year's new class is rich in varied interests and deep with talent.”
Overall, nearly 200 new residents matched with 10 BWH programs and five BWH-based PHS Integrated Residency programs, including seven General Surgery residents and 10 OB/GYN residents.
“You are world-class interns in a world-class hospital,” added Marc Pfeffer, MD, PhD, interim chair of Medicine, as he joined Katz and others in welcoming students from HMS, Tufts University and Boston University.
This year's crop of “world-class interns,” includes Jesus Vazquez, from HMS. Vazquez grew up in what he describes as a lower middle-class suburb of Los Angeles in a neighborhood where families like his struggled to steer clear of gang violence and street crime. His parents, both Mexican immigrants who came to California in their teens, are proud of what their son has accomplished. “My father never graduated high school, and my sister and I are the first members of our family to go to college,” the Stanford University undergrad said.
Also, there is a cellist among the group in Alanna Morris. She is from Atlanta, went to Xavier University in New Orleans, and her HMS acceptance helped maintain Xavier's post as the nation's leading undergrad producer of African-American medical students.
Likewise in BWH Radiology, the admissions team is boasting about the nine new residents there. “Our new residents have impressive credentials and we're thrilled to welcome them to the BWH Radiology family,” said Steven Seltzer, MD, chair, Radiology Department.
Shadpour Demehri, MD, comes to Francis Street from Tehran University of Medical Science in Iran, and Shashi Ranganath is set to join the Radiology Residency program from St. George's University Medical School via Calcutta, India, where she served as a health care volunteer at a hospice founded by Mother Teresa. Closer to home, Tamara Oei, MD, an MIT undergrad, volunteered in homeless clinics for the Cambridge Health Alliance while a student at HMS.
Obstetrics/Gynecology, a PHS Integrated residency program based in the Connors Center, also welcomed ten matches last week, including one woman who hopes to bring her BWH experience back to her native Senegal. Kahady Diouf is one of 25 women in her West African homeland tapped as a “future leader” when entering high school. She went to Smith College for undergrad and earned her MD at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She has volunteered mentoring Vietnamese refugees and teaching them English while at the International School at Hong Kong.
“I am a fortunate woman from a not so fortunate background who was given opportunities very early in life to be able to make a difference,” Diouf said in her personal statement. She hopes to make a difference with plans for a women's clinic in Senegal.
The elated newly-matched residents will begin their respective training programs at BWH in July.