Hi there! My name is Priya (pronounced just like the ?Pria? energy bar and kind of like the energy-efficient car, the Prius). My last name sounds like ?kupp-of-salami.? It was coined by a friend of mine in Elementary school and the name has stuck through the years.
I was born in India and came to the US when I was 5 years old. One of the first things I tried in the Land of Opportunity was chewing gum and I unfortunately ate the whole pack. I?m sure it?s still digesting. I grew up in Bel Air, Maryland (not where the Fresh Prince is from) and went to University of Maryland, College Park for undergrad (go Terps!). I did research at NIH for two years and realized I wanted to practice medicine. I went to med school at University of Maryland in Baltimore and loved it!
Since I had lived in Maryland for most of my life, I thought it would be cool to live in another city for residency. I kept an open mind while interviewing, but I loved Maryland?s program too much to let go! The faculty is amazing and very enthusiastic about teaching. They each have their own story and area of expertise and share their insights with us out of interest rather than pure obligation. There is a strong emphasis on didactics through cadaver labs, simulations, lectures, journal clubs and more.
We have a very cohesive family of residents and this is exactly what I wanted in a residency program. In fact during orientation, I spent so much time with my co interns that I went through withdrawal when we started different rotations! Residency will be tough no matter where you are. It?s the people you work with who will make all the difference. Whether it?s grabbing dinner, going out dancing, watching movies, making fun of each other, we find time to hang out and pick up from where we left off. I see the same thing with the classes above us. I sometimes forget who belongs to which class because we all hang out together!
I suppose I should talk about what I like to do for fun. I?ll start with what I LOVE to do? dance! I?ve been learning Indian classical dance since I was eight and I will dance to anything with a good beat. Luckily, many of the residents love to dance too, so I always have company! I like anything outdoorsy, especially hiking, white water rafting, sky diving. I love roller coasters. Baltimore at first glance may seem a bit barren. But you have to live here to see what it has to offer: lots of different restaurants, sports stuff, art galleries and museums, parks and of course, nightlife! And it?s in close proximity to DC, Philly and New York, so there is always something to do when you have time off.
Feel free to contact me with questions! And good luck!
