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Claire and Clay hope for a coordinated match for two

Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Claire and Clay portraitThe Match Day questions and anticipation easily double as M-4 students Claire Hanna and Clayton Walker seek to match somewhere together. Here’s their take on this juncture in their medical training.

Hometown:
Claire - Kansas City, Missouri
Clay - Iowa City, Iowa
 

Specialty:
Claire - Dermatology - Residency Match: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Clay - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) - Residency Match: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

Did you receive scholarship support?

Claire: I received global health scholarships that allowed me to do three months of global health work in Niger and Tanzania. Without the generous funding of the Carver College of Medicine, I would not have been able to afford international travel. 

I also received scholarships for my academic performance. These scholarships helped to alleviate the financial burden of traveling for residency interviews, which is particularly expensive for students participating in the couple’s match.

How did you decide on a career in medicine?

Claire: I was initially drawn to dermatology after seeing the utility of dermatologic care in underserved populations. Several elective rotations affirmed my interest in the field. 

Clay: What drew me to PM&R is the patient-centered care and the opportunity to make a profound impact on someone’s daily life. The focus of this specialty is to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities.

What unique aspects of the UI Carver College of Medicine curriculum were most beneficial?

Claire and Clay: Students at UI Carver College of Medicine complete pre-clinical courses in one-and-a-half years, start clinical clerkships early, and then take Step 1 and Step 2 after clerkships are completed. This unique curriculum is a tremendous strength of the Carver College of Medicine and prepares students for success on board exams and on the wards. Memorizing obscure diagnoses when studying for board exams is much easier when you’ve encountered that condition during clerkships. We also benefited from the extra elective time afforded by the curriculum, which allowed us to explore our interests in dermatology and other specialties. 

What was your most memorable experience in the Carver College of Medicine?

Claire: A one-month global health trip to Tanzania during my fourth year of medical school. I helped to provide dermatologic care to hundreds of patients, all while living in a cabana on the beach, eating amazing food, and exploring the oceans and national parks of East Africa. 

Clay: Getting my Step 1 score back. I can remember every detail of where I was and what I was doing when I opened the email that contained my score. To work that hard for something and then to achieve a great result was very gratifying, and something I’ll never forget. I suppose that meeting my future wife was a pretty memorable experience, too. 

Is there someone in the college who was especially helpful in guiding and mentoring you?

Claire: I am particularly grateful for the mentorship of Kari Wanat, MD, FAAD, and all of the amazing faculty members in the Department of Dermatology. I also have to thank Manish Suneja, MD, Jason Barker, MD, and Justin Sipla, PhD, three of our pre-clinical lecturers who helped me to understand some of the most conceptually challenging topics in medicine.     

Clay: All of the PM&R physicians here have been incredibly helpful in guiding me through the process of becoming a physiatrist and preparing me for residency. 

Do you have any advice for your fellow medical students about how to choose a specialty?

Claire: Keep an open mind. Entering medical school, I never would have thought I’d choose a career in dermatology, but now I can’t imagine doing anything else. 

Clay: Take time to reflect on what you truly value in medicine, and then find a specialty that embodies those values.