Meet Sarah Floden

Hometown: Mason City, Iowa 

Residency match: University of Wisconsin - Madison

Specialty: Internal Medicine

How did you choose your specialty? 

I love the richness of patients' stories, and internists embrace complex patients and look for opportunities to problem-solve. Throughout my training, internists also stood out as physicians who are committed to teaching and see themselves as lifelong learners. 

What experiences outside the curriculum greatly enhanced your medical education? 

My involvement in the Teaching Distinction Track has been very meaningful because it's allowed me to make connections with other medical students and faculty members. 

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

Dr. Katherine White. She was my case-based learning facilitator when I was a second-year student, and I've seen patients in her General Internal Medicine Clinic throughout my third and fourth years. Working with her over the years has deepened my sense of empathy and shaped my path to residency. 

What was the most rewarding part of your Carver College of Medicine experience? 

Being a mentor to other medical students. Helping them find their place in the medical community has brought me so much joy. 

What advice would you give to incoming medical students? 

As medical students, it's easy to get wrapped up in our own insecurities. We can't control how others perceive us, but we can show up each day with a willingness to ask questions and advocate for our patients.