Olive View was recommended to me because it checked all the boxesacademic program, county hospital, emphasis on medical education and teachingbut as soon as I met the passionate, kind people here, I knew it was THE place for me. I quickly came to find that all the positivity I felt from interview day was actually better than advertised, and it starts at the top. I would run through a wall for Dr. Suthar and our program leadership, and I know they would do the same for us. Also, the privilege of learning and serving at a county hospital while also getting to work at a world class center like UCLA is unparalleled, especially in Los Angeles.
I felt lucky to be among the first residents to work on the COVID wards in Spring 2020. Although it was terrifying to see our patients suffer from this new disease and not know how sick we may become, it was inspiring to feel that patients, housestaff, and attendings were all facing the unknown together.
Definitely the patients and housestaff! We are exposed to bread and butter cases that solidify our comfort in dealing with typical disease presentations. However, we also see striking case presentations because our patients often do not have access to healthcare. Olive View patients are appreciative for the care they receive here, and this definitely adds motivation and gratitude into our own work as residents each day. Secondly, the people in this program are genuinely happy and supportive of each other. The attendings all enjoy teaching and guiding the residents. I have also felt incredibly fortunate to have an amazing group of co-residents in this program.
So many things attracted me to Olive View. Like many of my colleagues, I felt particularly inspired by Olive View's mission to provide outstanding healthcare to the underserved population of Los Angeles County. I am regularly humbled, challenged, and motivated by my patients. In return, they are often very grateful for our services, which makes it easy to remember why I'm practicing medicine. Additionally, I was drawn to Olive View's emphasis on medical education in a supportive environment, medium-sized program, and blend of county and academic training sites.
One of my favorite memories is playing basketball on Wednesday afternoons in the B-ball court on the OVMC campus. These games were regularly attended by residents, attendings, hospital staff, our ID pharmacist, and our program coordinator, Norm (watch out for his 3-pointer). In addition to being great exercise, this often spilled over into the hospital, enhancing our working relationships.