Internal Medicine Chief Resident 2017-2018
Matt with his wife (and fellow physician) Laura
I grew up in Hanover, Mass, a small town about twenty minutes south of Boston. I spent most of my childhood idolizing Pedro Martinez and Nomar Garciaparra, and wondering if the Red Sox would ever win a World Series. (Spoiler alert: they did.)
I went to Wake Forest for undergrad, where I majored in physics. After college, I spent a year living in South Boston and working as a physics assistant in radiation oncology. I then went to UMass Medical School, where I met wife Laura. Laura and I “couples matched” to UVA (she matched to the Ob/Gyn program here). We live in Johnson Village with our dog Otto; it’s a great neighborhood. After chief year, I plan to pursue a fellowship in cardiology.
Why medicine? Why UVA?
On the interview trail I realized that most large academic centers offered a quality education and a diverse patient population with a wide-range of pathologies. For me what set UVA apart was the camaraderie among residents; the approachability of the faculty; and Charlottesville itself. I was struck by how genuinely happy the residents were and how passionate they were about their work, both clinical and scholarly.
What opportunities and challenges do you see in the year ahead as a chief resident?
The biggest challenge is going to be following the footsteps of last year’s chief residents; they were truly great leaders. We have such strong interns and residents that take care of each other just as well as they take care of their patients; I just hope to support them in any way I can. I do hope to expand upon our current ultrasound curriculum, since ultrasound is an invaluable tool in the care of critically ill patients. Otherwise, we have several ongoing projects to improve our discharge and transfer processes so that we can provide the highest quality of care to our patients.
Words of advice for new residents?
Get out and enjoy Charlottesville! Learn something new every day.
Matt (far left) gives his college roommate a congratulatory hug after the Wake Forest soccer team won the national championship.
Proudest achievement outside the professional realm?
In 2011, I played on a 7s rugby team, the Middlesex Barbarians, and we made it all the way to national quarterfinals in San Francisco.
What are you usually doing in your spare time?
I like to jog around Monticello with my dog Otto and my wife Laura; and I go golfing as much as possible.
What’s one thing you always have in your fridge?
Hot sauce — it goes with everything.
Lake Winnepesaukee in New Hampshire
Where did you go on your last vacation?
We went to Florida in April, which was awesome; we played a lot of golf. We’re going up to Lake Winnepesaukee in New Hampshire this month – the most beautiful place on earth!
What about you would surprise us?
If I was starting a new franchise and had to choose between Belichek and Brady, I’m picking Belichek 10 times out of 10.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
It would be great to know how to drive a golf ball without sending it 50 yards into the woods.
Words to live by?
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
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