I obtained my BS in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 2011 (GPA 3.95/4.00), and my MS in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 2012. I attended SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, NY for my MD, graduating in 2016. I then matched into General Surgery at University of Chicago and completed 3 years of residency before voluntarily resigning in August 2019 to pursue my passion for programming. I recently graduated from Fullstack Academy in Chicago, a 13-week intensive software engineering bootcamp focused on Javascript and the latest technologies.

While pursuing my BS and MS in Chemical Engineering, I used Python and Matlab, as well as advanced numerical modeling techniques, to solve complex engineering problems. My Masters also included two 3-month consulting stints at General Mills and Novartis.

Regarding my healthcare industry experience, I maintain my full IL physician's license and am also credentialed in Fundamentals of Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgery. I have performed >480 complex surgical procedures as first assistant and interacted with >2000 adult and pediatric patients throughout all phases of care. While at University of Chicago, I was exposed to the inner workings of a premier, tertiary referral, cancer center and was involved in the inauguration of one of the busiest Adult Level I Trauma Centers in the country. I am also knowledgable about electronic medical records (EMR) from a provider's perspective, and was a daily user of Epic EMR.

As I progressed through General Surgery residency, I realized that I was unhappy with my career choice. Besides the terrible work-life balance, surgery did not satisfy my desire to innovate and love of self-directed learning. It was a job I couldn't see myself doing for the rest of my life.

I had always regretted not pursuing a software engineering career after being exposed to programming in college. I remembered how passionate I was about programming - I could code all day, think about coding as I fell asleep, and wake up excited to code again. Programming was not only something that I enjoyed immensely, it was also something that I excelled at.

As I neared the halfway point of my residency, I knew I needed to make a decision. I enrolled in a short online web development course to get my feet wet again and gauge my interest, and it was immediately clear that I was meant to code. Shortly thereafter, I resigned from residency and completed a software bootcamp, and I haven't looked back.

Leaving clinical medicine was a difficult decision after all the time and effort I've sacrificed, but I have no regrets. I know I will make an impact on patients' lives by combining my medical expertise and programming skills, and I'm excited to start my new career.