| Medical School: University of Central Florida | Career Goals: I'm a child neurology resident and still figuring out what path I will take after that. |
| Hometown: Alpine, Utah | Email: cschow@salud.unm.edu |
Why UNM is My Choice for Residency: I really loved the feeling of collegiality I felt while interviewing here. The residents and faculty were very friendly and seemed to spend time together outside of work and generally enjoy each others company. I have found that to be accurate in my time here and am so grateful to be in this program because of it. I also love New Mexico. I love rock climbing, hiking, and camping. Albuquerque is close to so many great outdoor activities. I'm actually thinking about buying a mountain bike to start that as a new hobby.
Favorite Things About UNM: I mentioned a lot of what I love in the previous response. The collegiality is great. I feel that the faculty and other residents are invested in me and appreciate how much time they take to teach. I think the work load is demanding enough to get the kind of experience I need to become a great doctor but still provides a good work-life balance.
Favorite Things About NM: "I love access the outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and rock climbing.
I have also loved the food. Mexican food and New Mexican food are my favorite.
Where we lived previously, I didn't know any of my neighbors. The people here are very outgoing. We know all of our neighbors and have made some great friends here already (despite COVID!). 3 of our neighbors bought us baby gifts when we had our baby. I have been amazed at how friendly people here are. I wouldn't have thought we would have such great friends in our neighborhood after just 3 months.
There is plenty to do for families and pets. A lot of it is closed down right now because of COVID but there is a lot of family activities and entertainment around. Also, it seems like every other person has a dog here. At dusk the public golf course next to us becomes a giant dog park. There are also several official dog parks nearby. It has been easy to get out with our dog at the dog park or on hikes.
There is a lot of culture here. Unfortunately, the Balloon Fiesta was cancelled this year but we look forward to attending that in the future. I learned about Zozobra, a tradition in Santa Fe, last week and tuned in to watch the live stream. If you have never heard of Zozobra, I recommend reading about it. It was really cool, quirky, and interesting. I hope to attend that next year as well."