School of Medicine welcomes 160 new residents and fellows

Tulane University School of Medicine recently welcomed 160 new residents and fellows to its Graduate Medical Education program. The trainees came to New Orleans from across the United States and 12 other countries - Afghanistan, Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Moldova, Nepal & Nigeria. Individuals from underrepresented in medicine (URiM) backgrounds comprise nearly 16% of the incoming trainees, and approximately 48% of the class are women.

As part of orientation, trainees attended a panel discussion with School of Medicine faculty who shared their perspectives on caring for the local patient population. Topics discussed included the impacts of social determinants on patient= health, as well as advice on how to embrace the New Orleans community. Trainees also learned more about what it’s like to live in southeast Louisiana, which sometimes includes the threat of severe weather.

“From intern year and going back, some of the best advice I ever got was to be patient and be forgiving of yourself, it’s going to be hard,” said Leslie Miller, a 4th-year resident and president of the Tulane Resident and Fellow Congress.

“Intern year is…I’ll just be straight up, it’s suffering,” said Miller. “But we can’t get through it without each other, so make sure that you’re paying attention to how your colleagues are doing and supporting each other. It’s incredibly important.”

Watch the video above to learn more.