Aws Al-Abdullah, M.D.

Why did you choose UCLA for residency?

UCLA is an academic powerhouse with strong exposure to community patient populations. The faculty, residents, and training sites are world class. Coupled with the fact that you get to live in one of the most desirable cities in the world, UCLA was a no brainier for me. On the interview trail, I was looking for a place that didn't require me to compromise on certain aspects of my training, and UCLA hit all the major points that I valued. 
 

What are your areas of interest within EM or future career plans?

My main career goal is to become a strong clinician but I am drawn to certain niches within EM such as medical informatics and administration. I've spent some time in the past learning to develop mobile applications and I would like to use this skill set in the future to develop EM relevant iPhone applications. However, it is still very early in my career and I'll likely have a better idea once exposed to all EM has to offer.
 

Is there any other info you'd like to share with applicants?

The interview trail is awesome. You get to travel to different cities, get courted by residency programs, and meet some incredible people along the way. But it can be exhausting and overwhelming at times. Towards the end, it gets hard to think back and distinguish one program's attributes from another. My advice is to think about a few things that you value most and keep a log. This list can and will change throughout the process but just stick to your values and the match process will do its best to keep you happy.