Addie Bardolph
Greetings all! I'm Addie, a third year medical student in the
Asheville longitudinal program. I learned about the program in my
first year orientation, and was immediately attracted to the idea of
working in western NC. Not only did the longitudinal curriculum
appeal to me, but the chance to live in a new community was an
exciting one. This year, I have been struck by the close
relationships I have with my preceptors, many of whom also
double as career and personal mentors. The opportunity to follow
patients through the year is a strength that can't be emphasized
enough; there is nothing like tracking a newborn through her first
year of development!
My medical interests broadly include women's health, obstetrics,
family planning, and mental health. I have been interested in
women's health since college, where I fell in love with learning about gender and sexuality.
Later, working as a doula, I cemented that interest from a health perspective. In medical school,
and now in clerkships, I enjoy incorporating medical knowledge into taking care of, not just the
entire woman, but their families, too.
When I'm not in clinic or the hospital, I enjoy driving the parkway for the heck of it, watching
Carolina basketball at my neighborhood joint, or scheming new brunch spots. I couldn't be
happier to call Asheville home.
Anne Cotter
Hi! I’m Anne Cotter, one of the lucky third years out
here in Asheville. I’m originally from Middleburg,
Virginia and studied biology (and medieval studies!)
at Georgetown University for four great years. After
a year of working in Boston, I was happily accepted
to UNC SOM for medical school. So I headed down
south and haven’t looked back. During my first year,
I was accepted to the Kenan Primary Care Medical
Scholars Program and this led me to my first
experience in Western NC. It was a 6 week rotation
in lovely Linville with a family medicine doctor. It
was an amazing summer filled with hiking, learning,
and mountain living.
Since beginning my third year in Asheville, I’ve had lots of great experiences. From following
patients between clinic visits to learning how to manage patients in rural emergency departments
with a few resources to working closely with attendings to sliding down waterfalls and riding the
Pubcycle- it’s been fantastic. I am also working in Hendersonville for the majority of my
outpatient clinics- which helps add to the close-knit community feel. My doctors will text each
other if I am running late getting from one clinic to another. I really feel that the longitudinal
program helps us to integrate everything we’re learning across specialties- and hopefully
cementing this information long term. Asheville is a truly unique city and our program reflects it.
Courtney Detwiler
Hello! I’m Courtney and I’m one of the 3rd year students in the
Asheville program. Thanks for visiting our student page! I’m
originally from Chapel Hill, a town that I am always happy to call
home! I attended UNC for undergrad, where I studied psychology
and medical anthropology. Following graduation, I completed my
pre-medical coursework at UVA and started medical school at
UNC one year later.
This year has been my first in WNC…and I absolutely love it
here! Asheville is an exciting place to live, and the mountains
offer endless opportunities for outdoor adventure. Against this
beautiful backdrop, I’ve had the pleasure of working in a wide
variety of clinical settings. Within a given week, my clinical experiences may range from
inpatient pediatrics to emergency medicine to rural palliative care. I consider this to be a huge
strength of the longitudinal curriculum: the learning is very integrative! Additionally, the
longitudinal format allows for ongoing relationships with peers, preceptors and patients. There is
a wonderful sense of community here in Asheville, and I have felt very lucky to be a part of it!
I love medicine!!! But in my free time, I like to paint, sew, bake, and explore the mountains with
my partner, James, and my little Jack Russell Terrier, Beans!
Alex Finch
My name is Alex Finch, and I am a third year
medical student in the UNC SOM Asheville Longitudinal
Program. A sentiment I share often is that in reflecting on
my third year, getting to come to Asheville was like
winning the lottery.
Let me share with you the day that I’ve had today.
I’m currently on inpatient internal medicine, and it has
been incredible to be on my team. I admitted a difficult
patient last night. He had been the ER, short of breath, for
several hours. Frustrated with his wait, and terrified, when
I stepped into his room he began to scream at me. He had
been doing this with his nurses, and all of his physicians, and he was refusing all the imaging
tests that we needed to make a diagnosis. When an Attending physician begged him to try again,
I asked my resident if I could go with him. There was lots of charting, and work to be done, but
my resident said, “of course.” In Asheville, all our Residents and Attendings encourage us to
spend as much time at the bedside as possible, everything else can wait.
I went with my patient and as we imaged him, he began to panic. “I’m just so scared to
die.” He said. “I’m so sorry that I’ve been so difficult, thank you so much. Thank you.” I was
there, and I held his hand, and we got through the study which showed a PE. A resident later
thanked him for the honor of being able to take care of him. As a medical student, you will
practice in many hospitals and you will see how scared people lash out, and are difficult to work
with. You will see how your mentors deal with these people, and bit by bit your nature, your
instincts will become similar to those of the people you look up to. My preceptors and residents
here challenge me intellectually, but always prioritize my time helping scared patients. They
thank the difficult patients. These are the people I want to be like, and I am grateful to be here in
Asheville.
This morning, our usual rounds were interrupted by a Code—someone had stopped
breathing. Our team responded, and there were already lots of people there. I’ve never done CPR
in a real situation, as with so many things in medical school, I know the physiology, I’ve read
about the technique, but in real life—never. I put on some gloves, took a deep breath, and
stepped behind the nurse doing CPR. I wanted to help, and I wanted experience. Immediately,
another nurse stepped in saying she would take over. My attending, in the middle of running the
code, inserted a tube to help the patient breathe. Without looking up, he asked the nurse to step
out of the way and called me to the bedside to begin compressions. In the middle of a Code, my
attending thought of me, and thought to give me an opportunity. Two minutes after I began
compressions I looked up, and the patient’s eyes began to open. It was a miracle, at ten in the
morning. I walked away, sweaty, out of breath, smiling, and grateful. How lucky I am to be in a
place where even in chaos, my teacher’s thoughts were of me, and to prioritize my learning.
An hour later, the team scheduled a family meeting. There was a difficult case of having
to discuss with a family that palliative care might be the best fit for a patient. While discussing
this in rounds, the resident and Attending immediately agreed that I should be there—talking
with families about death would be essential to my training. I hadn’t been a part of this patient’s
care but they immediately thought of me, to help grow my experience and training. I sat at the
table for a wonderful discussion. The topic of whether to resuscitate came up, then palliative
care. The business of our discussion was done, it was a busy day with lots of sick people to see. I
looked at my Attending and resident, were they getting ready to stand up, and be hurriedly on
their way? When I run a family meeting on my own in ten years, and we get done with the
decision to start palliative care, what then? My Attending said, “Thank you so much for your
time, please tell me about your husband, how did you meet?” As I have said, in Asheville, our
teachers prioritize time at the bedside. For 20 minutes, I heard about this man’s wonderful life. I
learned how he met his wife, how he proposed, about his life. I learned about him and we all
laughed with shared moments of joy over a well lived life. I saw a wife reliving those moments
with happiness. At the end of the discussion, a scared wife thanked us and blessed me in my
future career. Today I learned how to talk with a family about death, I learned how to do it the
right way.
As we walked out, my Attending said, “Think about this day. It isn’t even lunch. You did
compressions on a woman who survived, developed complex medical plans for many sick
people, and had the privilege of being a part of one of the most sacred moments that family will
ever have. How lucky are we to be able to do this every day of our lives?”
I was at UNC for undergrad, and I did a lot of research. But if you are reading this, trying
to make a decision about what you should do for your clinical years, you don’t need to know
about my CV. You need to know that bit by bit you become the people who train you in
medicine. Their instincts and thoughts--the way they look at patients and the way they reflect on
their day slowly becomes a part of your nature. How lucky I am to be here, so I can become like
these incredible people. A year in Asheville is like winning the lottery. That is what you need to
know.
Meghan Jobson
Hi, I am Meghan. I am from North Carolina and
Massachusetts and I went to graduate school in Utah before
medical school. Spending my third year in Asheville was a
great choice for me. I have been able to develop long term
relationships with my patients, their families, and my
preceptors and have enjoyed working in the Asheville
medical community. Although we are busy with school, we
still have time to enjoy the mountains and city of Asheville.
Robyn Levine
Hi there! My name is Robyn Levine, and I am thrilled to be
spending my third year of medical school here in Asheville. I
hail from Miami, Florida, and I first came to North Carolina
eight years ago to attend college at UNC-Chapel Hill. While at
Carolina, I studied nutrition in the School of Public Health and
became especially interested in how structural issues like
poverty contribute to poor health outcomes. After graduation, I
moved to the beautiful mountains of Boone to serve as a health
educator, case manager, and medical interpreter for migrant
workers laboring on Christmas tree farms.
Coming into medical school, I knew that I wanted to maintain
my focus on underserved populations and broader social issues
that impact the ways in which physicians practice medicine.
The Asheville longitudinal program has so far been an ideal fit for further exploring these
interests. For example, my internal medicine clerkship is based out of a free clinic that serves all
patients regardless of ability to pay. This means that I am challenged each week not only to
identify pathology that often stems from inadequate access to consistent healthcare, but also to
come up with a management plan that accounts for patients’ difficult social circumstances.
Beyond the clinical training, what I love most about the Asheville program is the incredible
community of students, faculty, and staff. Adjusting to clinical learning in third year is hard—no
matter whether you choose a traditional or longitudinal experience—and I am so grateful to be in
an environment where I feel supported during this fast-paced year. Please don’t hesitate to reach
out with any questions about the program or living in Asheville!
Liza Lichtenfeld
Hi, I'm Liza. I grew up in Chicago and went to
college in New Hampshire where I studied history
and economics. Before coming south for medical
school, I worked in Spain for a couple of years and
completed a post-bacc year in Vermont.
I feel extremely fortunate to be studying medicine
at an institution as supportive and engaging as
UNC, and I feel even luckier to be spending my
third year in Asheville. The longitudinal curriculum fosters a uniquely supportive environment,
which helps students to gain clinical skills while finding their own direction in medicine. I could
not imagine a better place to live and study.
Gisselle Mani
Hi everyone! My name is Gisselle
Mani and I am one of the third year
medical students participating in the
Asheville Longitudinal program. I
grew up in El Paso, TX and did my
undergraduate work at Duke
University. I majored in Biological
Anthropology and Anatomy and got
minors in Chemistry and
Biology. After graduating I worked as a Research Coordinator at the Duke Emergency
Department for six years and helped start a research group at the UNC Emergency
Department. When I decided to apply to medical schools I was told about UNC’s Medical
Education Development program and applied. This program was amazing and is where my love
of UNC really began.
UNC is all about relationships and people. It’s like a big family and the Asheville program is an
extension of that. The first day I heard about the Asheville program was during first year
orientation and I remember driving home and talking to my husband about how amazing it
sounded. It appeared to include several of my passions such as hiking, Spanish (food, people,
language, culture) and hands on experiences. Furthermore, I love small towns and believe I have
a rural heart so when Dr. Bashford came to speak to us about the Kenan Primary Care Medical
Scholars Program which included a commitment to the Asheville longitudinal program, it
seemed like a match made just for me.
Rachel Morris
Ceud Mìle Fàilte. My name is Rachel Morris and I’m a
current third year in the Asheville Longitudinal Program. I
first fell in love with western NC as a child visiting the
mountains every year with my family and cemented my love
while working at a nearby camp and conference center for
seven (yes, seven) summers. I was born in the piedmont
below these beautiful mountains, in Charlotte, NC, and have
moved all over the southeast, living in NC, GA, VA, SC, and
venturing out for a brief period to KY. I had the distinct
pleasure of attending undergrad at Presbyterian College,
which, by virtue of its small student body afforded me the
opportunity to form meaningful, lasting relationships with
educators and mentors. Thankfully, I have found the same blessing here in Asheville (more on
that in a second!). After college, I took the winding trail to medical school, taking six whole
years to explore and discern. During that time, I got to travel to the Philippines to work with
social justice organizations, worked meeting and recruiting young adults all over the US to take a
year for volunteer services at home and abroad, and spent three years with the American Red
Cross in blood collections where I got to meet thousands of people all over NC in both rural and
urban areas. North Carolinians are truly wonderful and diverse people.
As I said, I love western NC and jumped at the opportunity to learn here. I was initially drawn
by the location, the beauty and my ties, but quickly realized what an amazing opportunity I had
to form relationships with patients as I followed them for more than a single rotation. I also
deeply appreciate the relationships I’ve been able to form with preceptors: I learn from their
example, get direct and helpful feedback, and they learn who I am as a caregiver and student to
help me grow more. I’ve also loved getting to know all of the Family Medicine and Ob-Gyn
residents and gaining from their guidance and mentoring. My greatest experience thus far has
been following a beloved patient through her pregnancy, delivering her peanut, and picking up
the care of this wonderful brand new life with my family medicine preceptor.
The Asheville program hasn’t just been clinic, though. We’ve gotten to learn directly from some
fantastic doctors in didactics, discuss the art of medicine with providers at all points in their
different specialties, and have fireside ethics discussions over delicious food with thoughtful
mentors. The view of the mountains outside the window on a tough day (or any day) doesn’t hurt
either. There’s also nothing like breathing the mountain air from the peak on a hike or the bonds
you form from having year-long cohorts in your Asheville class. Here, I’ve been able to have an
awesome work-life balance, grow as a student and a person, and try all the craft beer I want.
Brittany Papworth
Hey there! I’m Brittany Papworth and I’m currently in the midst
of an incredible third year in Asheville. Although I am from a
suburb of Chicago, I fell in love with North Carolina during my
undergraduate experience at UNC. I studied Environmental
Health Science and Chemistry. My research endeavors in
remote places of the world sparked my desire to live where
people enjoyed the outdoors, which is one thing that initially
drew me to Western North Carolina.
My experiences as part of the Asheville Longitudinal Program
have been amazing. I am working one-on-one with highly
skilled and educated attending physicians who are enthusiastic
about my education. My classmates and I get to process our clinical experiences in an ethics
course when otherwise it would be too easy to forget to stop and reflect. We have shifts in the
emergency department a minimum of three times each month where we are privileged to learn
and perform various procedures. In the unique unstructured time in our Asheville curriculum, I
am completing a fellowship in 2 rural high schools, participating in group pregnancy care,
remaining active in student government, taking my dog on beautiful hikes, scheduling additional
time with cardiothoracic where I have gotten to first-assist, and eating so much amazing food.
Undoubtedly, my quality of life and learning is superb in Asheville. But don’t take my word for
it- come visit us! We would love to have you. Cheers.
James Rogers
Hi There! My names is James Rogers, I am another one of the
lucky 3rd year medical students on the UNC Asheville
campus. I grew up about 20 minutes west of Asheville in the
small town of Waynesville on my family cattle farm (picture)
and then went to NCSU for undergrad. I then moved to
Sweden for 2 years for fun and research, returning to North
Carolina for medical school. That is my entire life story in two sentences, I tried to make it one
sentence but the grammar was poor.
I recently had an experience that highlighted the beauty of being in the wonderful longitudinal
curriculum that Asheville has to offer. For those who are not familiar with the curriculum, you
experience all of the clerkships simultaneously throughout the year, going to each clinic on a
weekly basis. I had seen a patient in the Family medicine that was in need of psychiatric
services. I facilitated a referral to the clinic where I do my psychiatry clerkship, and saw the
patient in that setting a few weeks later. I was pleased to be involved in the treatment of one
patient from the perspective of two specialties. It was possible for me to help manage the
patient’s medical problems in one clinic while focusing on psychiatric issues in another.
Opportunities like these are a major strength of the program. You will have the ability to treat the
“whole patient” and be involved in their care from start to finish.
When not in clinic I like to play musical instruments, spend time with my partner Courtney and
Beans (dog) exploring the great outdoors Asheville has to offer. I have had time to be more than
just a medical student this year and feel like I have really grown in my other life interests.
Lindsey Rose
Hi everyone! I’m Lindsey Rose and a native from a small
town in Minnesota. I grew up kayaking, hiking and spending
as much time outside as I possibly can, which is why being a
part of the Asheville Longitudinal Program has been such an
amazing fit for me! Not only have I had the chance to work
with some of the most compassionate and knowledgeable
physicians, but there is ample time to soak up some sun,
whitewater rafting, exploring the mountain side and sliding
down waterfalls! Additionally, I feel I am coming closer to
being considered a “true Ashevillian” as this year upon
moving to the area I became a mama to a sweet little German
Shepherd. Who I should add is no longer very little at 55 pounds and only 7 1/2months old!
In addition to being an Minnesota native, I attended undergrad at the University of WisconsinMadison and then transferred down to the eastern North Carolina area to teach 5th grade science
in an impoverished community. That experience compelled me to pursue a career dedicated to
helping underserved populations in North Carolina and led me to join the Rural and Underserved
Medical Scholars Program. Through this program I have been fortunate enough to have been
placed in Hendersonville for all of my clinical experiences. Many of the patients we serve in the
Hendersonville area are migrant farm workers and speak primarily Spanish. This opportunity has
given me the chance to expand my understanding of the Spanish language as well as explore the
multitude of cultures that thrive in the area! As I am committed to aiding rural and underserved
populations this experience has helped me gain a better understanding of medicine as well as a
more practical understanding of what we can do to better the health of underserved populations.
Lydia Russell-Roy
Hello! My name is Lydia Russell-Roy. I am originally from
Massachusetts, went to Carleton College in Minnesota, and lived
in San Francisco before moving to North Carolina for medical
school. I Hello! My name is Lydia Russell-Roy. I am originally
from Massachusetts, went to Carleton College in Minnesota, and
lived in San Francisco before moving to North Carolina for
medical school. I Hello! My name is Lydia Russell-Roy. I am
originally from Massachusetts, went to Carleton College in
Minnesota, and lived in San Francisco before moving to North
Carolina for medical school. I have loved living in Asheville this
year: there are waterfalls to jump in, delicious restaurants to eat at,
and great views of mountains from the hospital. We have the time
to invest in place: developing relationships with preceptors,
watching patients experience conditions over a year, and building
community in this great town.
Jake Sides
My name is Jake Sides and I was born and raised
in Asheville, NC so I have a slight bias when it
comes to talking about this program. I knew I
wanted to go into the Asheville Program when I
was getting my undergraduate degree in
psychology at UNC Asheville. During that time, I
was fortunate enough to sit down and have lunch
with Dr. Jeff Heck who explained what the
program was and how it differed from more
traditional curriculum. Though I learned enough to spark my interest that day, after being in the
program for over six months I have grown to understand just how unique it is and how much it
has to offer.
All third year medical students get the priceless opportunity to experience so much of what the
medical field has to offer. What the Asheville Program does is allow students to direct those
experiences in a way that is simply not possible in traditional curriculum. To me, it is this
flexibility for students that is the strongest aspect of the program. We are provided roughly two
half days each week that we can spend however we wish. Sometimes that is getting out into the
beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains or pursuing something else non-medical. Other times it is going
to a referral with a patient you saw a few weeks back in clinic or working with a particular
provider to gain experience in something that interests you. This freedom to experience precisely
what I am interested in and choose the provider I work with during these half days has provided
me with the ideal learning environment. It is critical that these half days are during normal
working hours, as opposed to in the evening or on weekends when fewer providers are available.
Furthermore, essentially all our learning is one-on-one with an attending. This allows more
freedom for asking questions and receiving thoughtful, thorough feedback from preceptors that
you get to know over an entire year.
It is also important to note that with the longitudinal curriculum you are exposed to all the core
specialties within the first half of the year, making the task of choosing one before fourth year
much easier. I will be applying for General Surgery residency this year. When I first realized that
I had a passion for surgery I wondered if I had picked the correct program because it has a
reputation for non-surgical specialties and does not have the traditional surgery block that
provides several weeks of complete emersion. I quickly realized that due to my half days and the
flexibility of the program I could get more surgical experience than any of my peers in the
traditional curriculum. I am able to work with a surgeon of my choosing, and first assist on
essentially every case.
Paramount to the success of this program is the staff who are possibly the most supportive
individuals I have ever worked with. I have felt completely comfortable and encouraged to work
with them to create the ideal learning experience throughout the year. Additionally, the
numerous providers that we work with are as excited to teach students as they are to care for
their patients. I truly cannot say enough about the core group that makes this program run.
Being in Asheville this year has been such a blessing and I feel a little spoiled by the experience
here. Third year is such an amazing experience where you get the opportunity to learn so much
and the people in Asheville provide such a nurturing environment for this learning.
Katy Sims
My name is Katy Sims and I’m North Carolina born and
bred! I grew up in tobacco country near Pinehurst, NC. I
went to Davidson for undergraduate, where I studied
biology. Between Davidson and UNC School of
Medicine, I spent a year working for the UNC Center for
AIDS research. I spent most of my childhood playing in
the mountains of North Carolina and West Virginia, so
coming to Asheville felt like coming home.
Having witnessed and experienced health crises in the
rural area where I grew up, I have seen first-hand how
important it is to have quality primary care. When I heard about the Sarah Graham Kenan rural
scholars program, applying to be part of the trailblazing group was a no-brainer. My experiences
in Cherokee and McDowell County have only emphasized how important rural primary care is to
keep a community strong and healthy. I am truly indebted to the Asheville program for providing
so many opportunities for unique experiences. When I follow my patient through her pregnancy,
I am there from confirmation of pregnancy to delivery. I go with her to psychiatry appointments,
genetics and financial counseling, ultrasounds, and even endocrinology and chiropractor
appointments. I will be there as she brings her first child into the world. Nowhere else will I have
this opportunity.
Priyanka Sista
Hi there. My name is Priyanka. I'm glad you're taking the time
to look into the Asheville longitudinal program.
I'm originally from the Durham/Chapel Hill area, where my
family still lives. As an undergrad at Duke, I studied sociology
and global health and developed an interest in addressing health
inequalities. After college, I spent a year traveling and
conducting research in Nepal and India, before returning to
North Carolina to work and apply to medical school.
I am so lucky to be at UNC, and luckier still to be in Asheville
for my third year. One of the best parts about this program are
the people: the talented faculty, the supportive administration, and my friends and classmates
with whom I get to share this third year adventure. Preceptors who know me well give me
critical feedback of how I'm doing and what I need to work on, week after week, all year long.
I'm expected to have an active role in patient care, to be the primary care provider (with
supervision) for my patients. This is a high-expectations, high reward kind of learning
environment, which can be tough to adjust to, but ultimately serves us well. The generosity of
physicians in this community in terms of their time and willingness to teach has allowed me to
personalize my learning. And I've been surrounded by so many role models--my classmates
included--who inspire me to be better in every way, both within and outside of medicine.
Being at the foot of the mountains, too, provides its own source of inspiration! I've enjoyed
exploring this town, and the mountains, and medicine all at once...You might, too! But regardless
of where you choose to spend your third year, you will be well-prepared for all that lies ahead:
you are, after all, a Carolina med student.
Raj Sundar
Hi! My name is Raj Sundar and I’m proud to say
I’m part of the Asheville Longitudinal Program, the
future of medical education. Before I begin about
the Asheville program, I’ll tell you a little about myself. I was born in India, lived there until I
was 10 with my grandparents, moved to South Carolina, then to Durham, NC. I then went to
UNC-CH for undergrad and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Finally, I made
it to medical school at UNC-CH. Along the way, I’ve worked in small towns in Nicaragua on
dental hygiene projects and big cities in Switzerland on vaccine supply chains. In this context
and with all these experiences, I’ll now tell you all about the Asheville program.
I started medical school with no idea that this program existed. By chance, really, I ended
up in an interest meeting and really loved the idea of a longitudinal program, especially in
Asheville. If you haven’t heard it already, it’s all about the continuity of Patients, Peers, Place
and Preceptors. These things, I’ve come to realize, have been invaluable in my medical
education so far. Not only do you get to stay in one place and explore this beautiful city of
Asheville with all its breweries and trails, you also develop relationships with people that truly
help you grow and develop into the physician you want to be. They seek to understand and push
you to be independent and take care of your patients. I’ve followed patients to different clinics
and solidified my understanding of their illnesses and the suffering they endure. I’ve consistently
seen patients by myself in a clinic, documenting their visit and truly taking care of them in every
aspect. I’ve no doubt I’ll be prepared for my residency, both inpatient and outpatient. I love it.
Rivers Woodward
Hi guys and gals! My name is Rivers Woodward. I was
born almost exactly twenty-six years ago in Franklin, NC. My three
siblings and I were homeschooled because my parents are firm
believers in experiential education. Many of my early years were
spent navigating local buses around Central America, using
trigonometry on building projects, or recording observations about
the frogs in the pond below my house. Learning was a joy because
it was fueled by my childlike fascination with the world. Every
Monday morning I would sit down with my mom and create a
contract of what I would accomplish that week. After that, it was up
to me to choose how, when, or where I would complete these
expectations.
As such, it should come as no surprise that I leapt at the opportunity to spend a year in the
Asheville Longitudinal Program. My top reasons are: the curriculum structure, the white spaces,
and the mountains.
Here is my best attempt to capture the difference in learning between a block schedule
and a longitudinal program.
What this is meant to depict is the notion that half-days in each clinic over a long period
of time allow for your neurons to have a field day interconnecting the varied experiences of third
year. While it takes a little time to get the hang of hopping between specialties, I believe that this
ultimately leads to greater retention over time.
Our free half days are truly invaluable. We have incredible access to a large community
of welcoming physicians in an area that is not yet saturated with students. This year, I have spent
a good deal of time seeking out innovative models of primary care delivery and learning from
these physicians’ experiences. I have had the opportunity to work with high school students
interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, and in the fall I finished building a wood-fired
sauna at my folks house nearby. These free half days also allow for something that seems all too
rare in our medical education - reflection.
If you are reading these bios, chances are you already have a feeling that the Asheville
Longitudinal Program might be the right fit for you. My only advice is to follow that inkling and
come spend a day or two with us in the mountains to see for yourself.
Yi Yang
Hi! My name is “E”. I moved from China to
North Carolina when I was six years old. My
family’s bounced back and forth between the
Research Triangle Park area and Boone
throughout my childhood. I majored in
Chemistry and minored in English at Duke, and
then started medical school at UNC. (Yes, I
did use both those words in the same sentence.) I was thrilled to have an opportunity to come
back to the Appalachian Mountains, but what really made me want to be in Asheville as a third
year medical student was the joy I observed in my upperclassmen who attended the program, the
ability to have continuous one on one interactions with faculty and patients, and the program’s
commitment to incorporating humanism and reflection into a year filled with transitions. These
aspects that first attracted me to the Asheville program have come into living truth for me, and I
am so thankful to have had such an amazing, unforgettable, and impactful year. I welcome you
to join the Asheville family!