| Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine | Career Goals: Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship |
| Hometown: England, Pennsylvania, Arkansas.... little bit of everywhere | Email: ascochran@salud.unm.edu |
Why UNM is My Choice for Residency: I knew I wanted to match to UNM the moment I saw the mountains from the plane. I applied because I was looking for a child-friendly hospital somewhere medically underserved; from all I could tell from surfing the internet, New Mexico really met this well. With the limited resources available compared to where I had come from in the northeast, I knew that I would get a diverse education in New Mexico. There also aren’t many pediatric fellowships at UNM, which meant that as a resident I would have first pick of the patients and procedures and not have to surrender interesting cases to a fellow. It’s also pretty warm year-round which means that come winter, I won’t be spending my free time clearing snow off my car to get to and from work. But really, I didn’t choose UNM until my interview day. I stepped out of the airport and looked up at the mountains and was in love. My Uber driver from the airport was brand new to the trade and I was his first-ever customer; he was a kind, elderly gentleman and naturally he got lost and accidentally gave me a tour of Albuquerque. Between my arrival and departure the next evening, everyone I met was polite and welcoming. UNM gave me the best first impression of anywhere I had visited on the interview trail and ultimately here I am and I wouldn’t change it for anything.