Pediatrics

Top 10 Reasons We Chose Wichita

Jamie Hinkle, DO
Jamie Hinkle, DO
1st-year Pediatrics Resident, Undergrad: University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO, Med School: Kansas City University of Medicine
and Biosciences
  1. There’s incredible diversity of pathology.
  2. All of the attendings push you to learn more in a very constructive, friendly way.
  3. Cost of living is so cheap. I’m able to pay down debt from medical school.
  4. Residents run morning didactic sessions, so I’m learning from my peers at a level I’m comfortable with.
  5. There are many opportunities for procedures. My second week of residency I was doing lumbar punctures on infants and circumcisions on newborns.
  6. The shopping in Wichita is great, with lots of malls and many boutiques and specialty stores.
  7. Wichita has a ton of restaurants. The diversity of food is wonderful, especially for those who like to try new things.
  8. It has a family-oriented environment, perfect for residents with families or those who are looking to start one.
  9. Daily noon conferences with FOOD! For residents on a budget, it allows you to save some extra money.
  10. The upper level residents are always willing to help out the incoming residents. You’re never left alone on call as a 1st year.
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Sunil Gotru, MD
Sunil Gotru, MD
2nd-year Pediatrics
Resident, Med School:
Guntur Medical College, India
  1. Wesley Medical Center is one of the largest hospitals in the region, so we see a wide variety of cases.
  2. The smaller size of the program allows for personal teaching as well as flexibility in training.
  3. Residents are always willing to help each other out in a pinch, and we are all close friends outside of work.
  4. There are many opportunities to teach medical students on rounds, in clinic, and on call.
  5. The program itself is so friendly, and it’s also spouse-friendly
  6. The resident benefit package is excellent and includes comprehensive health insurance, educational funds, and staff dedicated to taking care of your needs.
  7. The Midwest has many options for employment, and primary health care providers are in demand.
  8. The cost of living is very affordable – housing and other utilities are cheaper than in most other cities.
  9. I chose Wichita because it’s one of the top ten best places to live in America – it has the amenities of a big city with the friendliness of a small town.
  10. I love Wichita.
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Beryl Yaghmai, MD
Beryl Yaghmai, MD
Chief Pediatrics Resident, 3rd-year, Undergrad: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, Med School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas
  1. Wichita has a close-knit pediatric community. My attendings know me by name, and many of them can even recognize my handwriting.
  2. As a senior on night float, you’re responsible for all floor and PICU admissions, which goes a long way toward preparing you to make clinical decisions on your own.
  3. We don’t have any fellows, so there isn’t competition for procedures and teaching time with attendings.
  4. Attendings are readily available, enthusiastic about teaching residents, and dedicated to patient care – you’ll fi nd them at the bedside and not in the lab.
  5. I have daily contact with many subspecialists, and manage their patients in the hospital.
  6. There are excellent outpatient and continuity clinic experiences that mirror real-world ambulatory care.
  7. I have my own panel of patients, many of whom I’ve seen since birth, including children with chronic illnesses and genetic disorders, and children in foster care.
  8. Wichita has a very low cost of living, so you’re able to pay off medical school debt, purchase a house, travel, invest, and raise a family on a resident’s salary.
  9. No traffic! My commute to work is about seven minutes.
  10. People in the Midwest are really friendly. Wichita is a great place to train and live.
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Nathan Tofteland, MD
Nathan Tofteland, MD
4th-year Med/Peds Resident, Undergrad:
Tabor College,
Hillsboro, KS
Med School: KU School
of Medicine-Wichita

  1. Housing is extremely affordable, so much so that our family of four was able to purchase a home on one resident income.
  2. The attendings, full-time and volunteer, truly care about education and make formal and bedside teaching a priority.
  3. I have had a great clinical experience, both with residency and moonlighting opportunities.
  4. From day one, I have been able to be the primary provider for my clinic and hospital patients.
  5. Without competition from fellows, I’ve had great procedural experience and feel very comfortable with critical care procedures, from the NICU through the MICU.
  6. With one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per capita, there’s no shortage of restaurant variety.
  7. People in the Midwest are really friendly.
  8. Driving in Wichita is so refreshing. Even at peak travel times, I can drive to most areas of the city within 20 minutes.
  9. In your free time you can watch a movie and eat a full meal at some of the nicest movie theaters in the nation.
  10. My family and I love the different seasons.

 

Last Modified: September 24, 2009