RUSM alumnus Deepak Vatti, MD, is completing an Emergency Medicine residency program at State University of New York's Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Dr. Vatti paused from his demanding schedule to talk about his experience at RUSM and his role as chief resident.
RUSM: What attracted you to RUSM?
DEEPAK: Ross University School of Medicine offered me a scholarship and allowed me to start in January. I was working as an EMT while also running a business called SpinoFlex that manufactures a device that helps people walk again after a spinal chord injury or stroke. The flexible start time at RUSM allowed me to make a smoother transition from my two jobs.
RUSM: How did you prepare for the NRMP® Match?
DEEPAK: I knew that I wanted to specialize in Emergency Medicine so I did all of my rotations in that specialty. I also made sure to rotate in hospitals that offered the potential for a residency so that the faculty would get to know me and I would develop an intimate knowledge of the hospital. In addition, I studied hard for the [USMLE®] Step exams because those scores indicate to residency programs whether you will be likely to pass your specialty-specific boards.
RUSM: What are the top two or three ways RUSM helped prepare you for your residency position?
DEEPAK: At RUSM I learned to be adaptable and go with the flow. I learned to overcome any obstacle and not become frustrated by the little things. There is a distinct personality you’ll find in people who graduate from RUSM. The students who succeed there tend to be leaders in whatever they do. They work hard, show up early, stay late, and understand that a lot of work goes into residency. For that reason, they seem to have an easier time making the transition. In addition, by virtue of being foreign medical grads, RUSM students learn to be organized and efficient with complex administrative processes instead of becoming frustrated by them. RUSM is almost like a boot camp – a lot of my friends from RUSM have become chief residents.
RUSM: What are the key factors that led to you achieving a chief resident position?
DEEPAK: My clinical rotations gave me a broad perspective on the practice of medicine. I did rotations in Miami, New York, Chicago, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maryland. In each of these hospitals I was able to see how medicine is performed, observe how different people solve problems, and identify common threads. This allows me to bring creative solutions to the table.
RUSM: What additional responsibilities have you assumed since becoming a chief resident?
DEEPAK: At SUNY Upstate, chief residents are in charge of the schedule for all of the residents that rotate through the emergency department. This is a unique challenge because we have an increasing volume in the hospital and we have to be efficient with the residents and not burn them out. We are also on the committee that is responsible for curriculum changes, and we advocate for residents during conflict resolutions.
RUSM: What’s next for you?
DEEPAK: I will be Associate Director of an Emergency Department in New Hampshire, where I’m from. I am also staying on as faculty at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
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