Austin Carrier, DO

Why UNM is My Choice for Residency: I chose UNM Pediatrics for a couple of reasons. First off, I was looking for a medium-sized program that had fellowship opportunities within the hospital in the specialties I’m interested in, which is exactly what UNM has to offer. Secondly, coming from the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, I had to find a city that had mountains nearby for hiking, skiing, and other outdoor adventures. More importantly, I was looking for a city that had plenty of diversity, not only within the local communities and the patient populations I would be working with, but also within the local restaurants, craft brewery scene, and other unique areas throughout the town as well. Lastly, and most importantly, I was looking for a place that felt like it was a family. That was the first and most impactful thing I took away from my interview day with UNM. Everyone I met that day seemed to absolutely love the program and they seemed to genuinely care about each other as well. Everyone referred to each other by first names, regardless of their position in the program, and everyone joked around and talked so effortlessly among one another that it felt like a big family gathering! This was the thing I loved most about my interview, and this is the thing I have gotten to experience first-hand and have grown to love and appreciate even more throughout my time here.