Kathryn Majdick, MD ’18 (right) with her boyfriend Tyler Coombes (left), a third-year AUC student, at AUC’s Match Day event in Miami on March 16, 2018
Like many medical students, Kathryn Majdick didn’t know exactly what to expect before her first clinical rotation. For her, it happened to be internal medicine at Queens Hospital in New York. But by the end of the week, she knew she had found her passion.
“It was our first week as students, and there we were, already picking up patients and becoming part of the team,” said Majdick, a San Diego native. “I loved every aspect of it—the energy and collaboration, the procedures, just the whole atmosphere. I thought to myself, this is where I’m supposed to be.”
This summer, she’ll be pursuing that passion at her #1 residency choice: Internal Medicine at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
We caught up with Majdick to learn about the path she took leading up to the Match, her experiences at AUC and her goals for the future.
What steps did you take to be successful in the Match?
I focused solely on internal medicine programs, and I applied all over the country. Then I did a lot of research to see if each hospital was a good match for me, if it was worth investing time and money to get to that interview.
But it’s funny—you can’t know what a program is truly like until you go there and meet the team. Some programs that weren’t originally in my top choices turned out to be my favorites, whereas some programs that looked perfect on paper weren’t the best fit for me after all. So it’s really important to keep an open mind throughout.
Any advice for students going through the Match process?
If you don’t hear back from a program you’re interested in, reach out to them yourself. When I hadn’t heard from the University of Tennessee, I emailed them and sure enough, they called me right back. It just goes to show that if you make the effort to express your interest, you might luck out and be offered an interview.
You have to be your biggest proponent and know what you’re worth. I knew that I was worthy of an interview. And so I went to Knoxville, and I loved the team, and I ranked it No. 1. I couldn’t be happier that I’m starting my career as an MD there.
How did AUC help prepare you for your career as a physician?
One thing that’s pretty unique about AUC is that you have the opportunity to design your clinical experience. I was able to travel around Florida, New York, California, and Ohio to complete my rotations, and it was totally up to me to pick electives during my fourth year, such as critical care and cardiology. Moving around so much has its challenges, but it’s a great experience and you learn so much from each hospital.
What was a particularly memorable experience during your time at AUC?
I went on a medical mission trip to Antigua, Guatemala with the Latin Medical Student Association during my second year. Each day for a week, we would go to a different part of the community, set up a mobile clinic and triage center, see patients, and teach them about nutrition and hygiene. It was so rewarding—not just being able to practice my exam skills, but also being able to really connect with the people there. And I could see myself starting to think like a doctor.
What are your aspirations after residency?
I’d love to go onto fellowship in Infectious Disease. Otherwise, I’d also want to be a hospitalist because I love the energy of the hospital and being in that collaborative environment.
