“I just needed a chance, and then I knew I could take it from there”.
The happiest day of my life was when MUA decided to take a chance on me and accepted me into the school” says Eyad Ahmed. Currently in an Internal Medicine Residency at St. Michael’s Medicine Center in Newark, Eyad says “It is a dream come true that now as a graduate of MUA I have matched into a residency 30 minutes from where I grew up”.
Eyad decided to pursue medicine as a sophomore in college, having known some seniors who had gone on to attend MUA. “I just needed a chance, and then I knew I could take it from there”.
“Nevis was great. I just wish I could have enjoyed it a bit more as I was studying a lot. It is a beautiful island, and everyone knew each other in town.”
Eyad found the students at MUA to be very hard working and resilient, and the environment overall very motivating. “The professors prepped us well for the USMLE, with a lot of review sessions in all the major subjects. The Clinical Dean made us a great study outline. They were hard on us, in a good way. They motivated us, and were really close to all of the students”.
When it came time for his clinical rotations, Eyad found that in his one on one discussion the clinical team really took into consideration his desires, and offered rotations in the NY metro area so that he could be near home. While appreciative of this, he opted instead to go with his MUA friends down to Louisiana, and looks back on this decision as the right choice. "I learned from some amazing doctors that to this day I still look up to and keep their advice in mind. They were very student and resident driven so education was a big component. My friends and I really enjoyed it, and honestly I met some amazing friends from other schools as well during my time there. Louisiana gave me a unique experience in allowing me to work with a different population then that of the northeast”.
The matching process was exciting and tiring for Eyad. “When you are interviewing you see all the different styles and approaches of different programs. It gives you the exposure to figure out which hospital fits you well. “He was particularly appreciative of the time that the Clinical Dean put in to help him with the required Clinical Dean letter, and the matching process. “ The Clinical Dean really worked closely to help make you a strong candidate, reviewing our CV’s and personal statements and really putting in the time for us.”
Eyad was offered a pre-match in Internal Medicine and is currently in a 3 year residency program. “It is a very urban environment and I really like this”. Eyad’s brother is a pre-med student now and hopes to follow in his big brother’s footsteps.
