Class of 2022

Kristi Balavage, MD
University of Florida College of Medicine
Research Project: The Effect of Strict First Trimester Glycemic Control in Patients with Pre-Pregnancy Diabetes on the Rate of Adverse Fetal Outcomes and Obstetric Complications.
Why CMC?: This program is so amazing for many reasons. During my interview, I was so impressed by the family-like atmosphere between the residents and faculty. My co-residents are an incredibly supportive, hard-working and easy to get along with group of people. I feel so lucky that I get to go to work with my friends every day. I love that our faculty are so approachable and so invested in making us incredible doctors and surgeons. Also, our volume allows us to receive excellent clinical and surgical training, and we will all be more than prepared when we graduate. The fact that Charlotte is such a fun city is a bonus as well! I feel so grateful to be training at this program.

Alice Barr, MD
George Washington University School of Medicine
Research Project: A Multi-Institutional assessment of clinical outcomes for advanced-staged ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy stratified by interval debulking surgical approach.
Why CMC?: My reason for looking at CMC was because of the stellar oncology program and the excellent surgical training of the residents here. My reason for ranking CMC #1 was the warm, supportive atmosphere. The residents and faculty work incredibly well together, and the program feels like a family. Residency is hard no matter where you go, but CMC is really special-encouraging us to challenge ourselves, ask questions, and grow as people and physicians.

Tanner Hurley, MD
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Research Project: Comparing the efficacy of adjunct azithromycin given at the time of non-elective cesarean delivery to prevent postoperative infections between obese and non-obese patients.
Why CMC?: I was actually born at Carolinas Medical Center, and so to a certain degree, it's like I never left! When deciding on an OBGYN residency, I wanted a place with special focus on hands-on learning and surgical skills training. What I found in CMC was not only this, but also a wonderful group of physicians that quickly integrated me into their Residency family. Carolinas Medical Center provides a multi-faceted and comprehensive approach to clinical and surgical training in a welcoming, holistic setting. Not only will my training adequately prepare me to be the aspiring Generalist/Hospitalist I hope to be, the other Residents are now life-long friends and truly make CMC a wonderful place to train.
The city of Charlotte has also been a great place to explore! My wife and I live in the NoDa area, which has a great progressive/trendy atmosphere to it. The Blue Line takes us directly to Uptown, where we love going to shows, parades, and restaurants. We are also big mountain and beach people, which are only a couple hours away! The Boone and Asheville areas have great hiking, especially if you only have time for a day trip, while the Carolina beaches are better spent for the whole weekend relaxing. Carolinas Medical Center and the city of Charlotte have been wonderful experiences and a privilege to be a part of.

Emily Peterson, MD
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Research Project: Leptin levels in women with a BMI <20 and success of IVF.
Why CMC?: I am so thankful to be a part of a program where business becomes a pleasure with other residents and faculty alike. On my interview day I was so impressed with the friendliness and camaraderie of not only the resident but all of the staff in the hospital. Everyone had a kind word to say or a smile and I still find that to be true today. I a also continually amazed at the quality, depth, and breadth of our learning and how much surgical experience we are lucky to have. I have made great strides in the last two years in becoming a physician I can be proud of, and excited for the years to come.

Katherine Somodi-Stephenson, MD
Florida State University College of Medicine
Research Project: Postpartum Long-Acting Reversible Contraception, 6 and 12-month Continuation and Satisfaction Rates
Why CMC?: During the interview dinner and through the interview the residents' family-like interaction were impressed upon me. I kept thinking back to that experience and I'm so glad it spoke to me! Now I love my CMC-fam, faculty, and the clinical experience we so quickly gain.