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Shane Ali
Hometown: Houston, TX
College: The University of Texas
Medical school: The University of Texas
Why you chose CMC: From my interview experience, I noticed that CMC was truly a family. People were able to interact with each other without filters. There was no true hierarchy that prevented you from really getting to know the people you were working with. This group of people had a common interest to help those in need, and they were clearly very passionate about that.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Charlotte has the best of both worlds. You aren’t too far from mountains, beaches, breweries, etc. And to top it all off, the people here are extremely friendly.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: Community medicine and global health initiatives.
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Travis Barlock
Hometown: Morrison, CO
College: University of Denver
Medical school: University of Colorado
Why you chose CMC: The best training and the best people.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: It's an incredibly young city and it's absolutely gorgeous.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: Practicing emergency medicine and critical care at an academic institution.
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Matthew Cravens
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
College: The University of Arizona
Medical school: The University of Arizona
Why you chose CMC: I was impressed by the quality of the residents when I rotated here as well as how friendly and welcoming everyone was. I knew I preferred a three-year program and I think it's hard to find better training and a more tight-knit family environment than at CMC.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Our social GroupMe is always blowing up. I love the diversity in our class and the others. People are very different, but somehow it makes sense that we ended up here. The U.S. National Whitewater Center is an awesome outdoor playscape. Still working on finding the best Thai food in Charlotte.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: Hopefully s/p aerospace medicine fellowship, practicing a mix of aerospace and emergency medicine.
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Daniel Escobar
Hometown: Weston, FL
College: University of Central Florida and University of South Florida
Medical school: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Why you chose CMC: Prior to medical school I had the opportunity to work as a scribe alongside CMC graduates. Seeing their clinical abilities and their compassionate approach to their everyday practice inspired me. Later, a rotation at CMC solidified my decision. Not only was the training top notch, the camaraderie displayed surpassed my expectations. I knew this was where I was meant to be.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: There's so much Charlotte has to offer including a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities with access to both the coast and mountains. Having a major international airport makes for easy travel which is important to my wife and I as we enjoy visiting friends and family when possible. Living in bigger city also means bigger and more diverse experiences both socially and educationally.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: My wife and I hope to start a family and invest in our hobbies which include gardening, cooking, and camping! I believe learning is a lifelong commitment, but so is teaching others what you've learned. I look forward to the opportunity to mentor future colleagues who are eager and dedicated to the field of Emergency Medicine. Volunteerism will always play a large role in my life and I'm excited to see how I'll be impacting my community 10 years from now.
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Charles Harris III
Hometown: Orlando, FL
College: University of Florida
Medical school: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Why you chose CMC: I was fortunate enough to rotate here and fell in love with Charlotte, its community the program culture. Every single person here was so welcoming and made the effort to build a legitimate relationship with me as a medical student. The amount of teaching and autonomy made me feel like an actual part of the healthcare team rather than a shadow. I couldn’t help but long for this amount of camaraderie and fun in my residency program for the next three years. Everyone here showed me the type of emergency physician and colleague I want to be for others. Another big draw for me was the amount of community work CMC does. They aren’t just a big hospital that stays detached from the people they serve. They meet and serve the community, including those underserved and in need. By the time I finished my month here and started interview season, I found myself constantly comparing other programs to CMC. Even if I had been here for just the interview day, it would’ve been a no-brainer for me.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: I love the diversity of the community as well as the activities we have access to here. The community has so many different people from different backgrounds which creates for such a fun mix of events and businesses in the outlying area. You will have no shortage of interesting people and constant opportunities to become culturally competent in the Charlotte area. As far as activities go, you can choose what your speed is. As a foodie, Charlotte is a central location to a plethora of delicious mom and pop restaurants along with tons of popular chains. As an outdoor enthusiast, there’s more than enough beautiful places to explore, hike, swim, bike or kayak. And of course, it's a godsend to get more Vitamin D in one week here in Charlotte than I would in one year in Chicago.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: A mix of academic and community medicine with a good work-life balance and being an awesome dad to a couple little rascals (both human and canine) with my lovely wife. Hopefully, I can throw in a few international trips per year in the mix.
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Mark Kastner
Hometown: Hollywood, FL
College: Florida State University
Medical school: Florida State University
Why you chose CMC: While rotating here I admired the confidence of the residents, the team spirit of everyone in the emergency department and the patient population taken care of by CMC. The residents get to manage a high volume of complex patients, work side by side with national and international leaders in the field and take care of a diverse patient population. The nurses, techs and unit secretaries make the patients their priority making it so much easier to work as a team to deliver effective care. The program leadership made it very clear that they are here to make us incredible physicians and will do as much as they can in order to get us there. The program offers a perfect mix of county and academic truly preparing you for a career anywhere you want.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Everything. The city itself has so many weekday and weekend festivals and events that it's hard to keep track up. The food options are so diverse and unique making it easy to satisfy any craving. The city is booming with young professionals, adorable dogs and breweries. There are plenty of outdoor activities around Charlotte and a ton inside the U.S. National Whitewater Center. I knew this place was for me when I found out that most breweries host an exercise class and serve a beer afterward.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: I have no clue which is also a reason I wanted to come to CMC. The resources here seem endless and if you have an interest there is someone who can point you in the right direction. I can see myself staying in this area after residency or working somewhere in the community. I would also love to teach medical students or residents at some point in my career.
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Kelsey Lena
Hometown: Round Rock, TX
College: Texas A&M University
Medical school: The University of Texas
Why you chose CMC: Hands down the people! When searching for a residency, I wanted a program that not only challenged me intellectually but also allowed me to be surrounded by supportive staff and co-residents who strive to make you the best EM physician possible. When I rotated at CMC, this is the exact impression I received. This program is a family through and through and I could not be more ecstatic to be here!
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Charlotte has a young, culturally diverse population along with phenomenal restaurants, unique festivals, entertaining live music scene, huge dog parks (important for us dog moms) and amazing shopping districts. Additionally, I enjoy the outdoors, so the large amount of national parks in the surrounding area to hike and gorgeous beaches that are only a short drive away are a plus!
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: It's too early to say, but I am currently interested in an EMS or operational and disaster medicine fellowship. No matter whether I pursue a fellowship or not, I have a vested interest in medical student/resident education and would love to work at an academic center in the future.
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Clayton Long
Hometown: Asheboro, NC
College: Appalachian State University
Medical school: The University of North Carolina
Why you chose CMC: CMC already felt like home for me. I completed all of my MS3 rotations here and the majority of my MS4 rotations as well. The EM faculty and residents here were hands down the most influential part of my experience as a medical student. I could only assume that their passionate support and dedication to my development as a medical student would be even greater as a resident, and boy was I right. This program is full of brilliant and inspiring people who will do anything they can to help you. Their humility and concern for the population they serve is truly remarkable. They are the physicians I hope to be one day and I am so very thankful for the opportunity to train with them. The possibilities to explore future fellowship and career opportunities here are endless and very accessible. It is a special place. Come see for yourself.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: I;m a little biased having been born and raised in North Carolina. Charlotte is uniquely positioned between incredible high country with world-class mountain biking in the Pisgah National Forest and beautiful beaches of coastal North and South Carolina. There are a number of affordable neighborhoods in Charlotte, each with a unique vibe. You can’t throw a rock in this city without hitting at least 3 breweries. We have the U.S. National Whitewater Center which hosts three free concerts weekly and has great resources to climb, bike or paddle right outside of a major metropolitan area. There are seemingly endless miles of greenways for running with your dogs or very athletic cats. We have professional sports with weather as lovely as our people. This was not taken from my application to the Charlotte board of tourism.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: Who knows? Hopefully treating patients with the enthusiasm and skill that I have had the privilege of witnessing in the supervising physicians here at CMC. I have a thing for gadgets, lights and sirens so EMS may very well be in my future. I may just join a circus or open a homemade ice cream shop with accompanying petting zoo. The sky’s the limit.
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Oriane Longerstaey
Hometown: Chatham, MA
College: McGill University
Medical school: University of Southern California
Why you chose CMC: I rotated here as a fourth-year medical student and absolutely loved it! The faculty and residents were all incredibly talented and so focused on advancing the specialty. Also, I really appreciate that this is a mix of an academic, community and county hospital that is focused on improving the health of our community.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Charlotte is a very accessible young city with so much to do. The residency class is very social and it's been fun exploring the city as a group. My family is also here, and I get to spend time with my dogs!
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: I'm interested in practicing internationally for a portion of the year and want to help develop emergency medicine abroad.
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Rachel Plate
Hometown: Lee's Summit, MO
College: University of Arkansas
Medical school: University of Missouri
Why you chose CMC: When looking for an away rotation as a third-year medical student, I knew I wanted to find a program that was outside the Midwest, known for training excellent clinicians and had a collegial group of residents. During my four weeks in Charlotte, I realized CMC was exceeding my expectations. The residents were competent, confident and so welcoming to students. They worked hard and thrived in a learn-by-doing environment, but were also great friends with each other. After some reflection I knew that CMC was the best learning environment to push myself out of my comfort zone and guide me to being the best doctor I can be. Most importantly though, I knew that I would be joining a group of residents who wouldn’t just be friends and colleagues, they would be family.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Coming from the Midwest, the ability to live close to work in a safe, active neighborhood combined with the access, events and diversity of a big city is incredible. Of course, being within reasonable driving distance to both the beach and mountains doesn’t hurt either.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: Likely working in a community practice, possibly splitting time between critical care and EM. Outside of work I hope to travel often, be engaged in community service and support my husband’s dream of owning a small farm.
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Neha Ray
Hometown: Lexington, KY
College: Emory University
Medical school: University of Cincinnati
Why you chose CMC: When I interviewed at CMC, I was impressed by how friendly, engaged and happy all the residents and faculty were. At the pre-interview dinner, the residents were fun, down-to-earth and clearly enjoyed hanging out with each other. The faculty here emphasize resident education and are approachable and supportive. I knew I would get superb clinical training, the opportunity to work with a diverse patient population, and be able to join the CMC family that truly supports wellness.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Charlotte is such a young and vibrant city. There’s always something to do without feeling like too big of a city. The green spaces in Charlotte are great and it’s a short road trip away to the mountains or the beach.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: To be determined, but likely working in a community ED setting, ideally with some element of medical student or resident teaching. I’d also like to pursue interests outside of clinical medicine, possibly working with healthcare technology and telemedicine.
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Clare Sanders
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
College: Davidson College
Medical school: Wake Forest University
Why you chose CMC: I wanted a community-based program where ED ruled the roost and felt so lucky to find that right down the road from my hometown. I heard so many good things about this program, I didn’t think it would live up to the hype. But, I was pleasantly surprised on interview to find that it was better than promised.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: The best part of Charlotte so far is that my house is less than a mile from the closest Jeni’s ice cream!
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: In ten years, I anticipate I will be loving the community attending life!
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Forrest Turner
Hometown: Palm Bay, FL
College: University of Florida
Medical school: Florida Atlantic University
Why you chose CMC: I couples matched with a pediatrician and this is the place we both totally loved. Located in a great city with a sick and diverse population, CMC mixes what I believe are the best aspects of a community, academic and county program. The faculty are some of the best clinicians, teachers and clinical researchers you could ask for in our field. Such a prestigious place attracts really strong residents, and my mantra is if you want to achieve your best then you need to surround yourself with great people. You will rise to the occasion.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: Charlotte is a good town and I love being in the Southeast. Charlotte has friendly people, reasonable cost of living and diverse food. Also, quite a bit of eclectic music comes through town. There are good bars and breweries with lots of specials on random days of the week. Charlotte is also very dog-friendly and is in close proximity to the mountains. The city is definitely growing like crazy, but (despite what the locals say) the traffic isn’t too bad. It is definitely great to be in a place where you can enjoy your time out of the hospital.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: Unclear. Community, academics, global health development, a mix? I can’t be sure right now. I do know, like most, my career will evolve and I will reinvent myself; I also know that by the time I leave CMC I will be prepared to take any path I desire.
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Andrew Yde
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
College: Miami of Ohio
Medical school: Indiana University
Why you chose CMC: Exceptional, high volume, high acuity training paired with a fun-loving, hard-working, supportive group of residents and attendings. The program had the palpable work-hard, play-hard mentality I was looking for. I have a cousin who just graduated from the CMC EM program a year prior to my interview season, and he had nothing but great things to say about his training and the people. To further his endorsement, one of my friends from medical school rotated in the CMC ED, and subsequently fell in love with and matched into the program, noting how knowledgeable, welcoming, and willing to teach everyone is here. The residents and attendings are down-to-Earth, and nobody takes him or herself too seriously.
What you love about living in/moving to Charlotte: The city is big enough to have everything you want/need and more, but small enough to never be overwhelming. The brewery scene is excellent, and there’s plenty of great hiking within easy driving distance. The U.S. National Whitewater Center is an incredibly special place — an absolute must-visit. It’s essentially an outdoor activity amusement park with live music every weekend when in-season. Can’t give it a strong enough endorsement. Finally, I love Charlotte’s colorful skyline at night. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy every time I’m driving into the city.
What you see yourself doing in 10 years: I’m keeping an open mind about my future in emergency medicine, though I’m currently leaning more toward working in the community setting. If we’re talking about my non-work-related 10-year plan, I see myself likely moving back to the Midwest and spending my days arguing with people about how bitter cold is preferable to sweltering heat. After a long day of being asked, “Are you old enough to be a doctor?”, I’ll spend my evenings staring out of the window, asking myself why I’m still a Miami Dolphins fan.
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