Resident Testimonials

Avery Wright, D.O.

Class 2014

Driscoll is the type of place where people enjoy coming to work. They show up with a smile on their face and a bounce in their step. I get at least 5 cheery "good morning" wishes every day. It is a lovely way to start my day. For this reason, the people I work with are the #1 reason I came to Driscoll.

I also like that it is a relatively small program. The good thing about that is attending physicians know us by name, the residents become a close-knit group, and nobody becomes another face in the crowd. We start out doing procedures as interns. I did things as an intern that I know other programs only let fellows do. This does not mean, however, that it is too small. The program is big enough to never feel alone or abandoned. If I have a question or need help there is always someone to talk to. There are also enough residents to have some flexibility. Residents frequently help each other with schedule conflicts or the hospital workload.

I believe our lecture series is superior to that of other programs. We have a resident-led morning lecture which features topics that are interesting and pertinent to patients that have recently been seen at Driscoll. During lunch residents are able to breathe a sigh of relief as we are off the hook for presenting and instead taught about the newest and greatest topics in the respective fields of our amazing specialists. That is 10 hours of lecture a week, 40 hours per month, or more than 500 hours per year. It adds up surprisingly fast.

In short, I think Driscoll is a great place to work. It is a place with a cheery and laid-back atmosphere, wonderful residents, and great academic achievement.

Jennifer Potonia, D.O.

Class 2015

Coming from Pittsburgh, I had tons of other nearby choices in a pediatrics residency, but after carefully weighing different programs and considering what I truly wanted out of my residency; Driscoll was at the top of my list. The teaching and learning opportunities at Driscoll are top-notch. Not only are residents given several different resources for self-guided learning, we also attend Morning Report, Nelson's Club, and Journal Club, among other conferences, for group-learning with active discussions between residents and attendings. Driscoll has several incredibly knowledgeable attendings that are very hands-on with a natural love of teaching.

Another aspect of Driscoll that drew me to this program was the size of the program and the quality of people that Driscoll attracts. We are large enough, yet small enough. Not only do the residents work well together, we also find time to relax away from the hospital as well. Bon fires on the beach, game nights, and pot luck dinners are all regular occurrences. I cannot stress enough how well all of the residents get along and the mutual respect we have here for each other.

Choosing a residency is a big decision and I chose what meant most to me: a high-quality education complemented by a team of encouraging and respectful attendings and residents. I hope you choose the same!

Eric Baggerman M.D.

Class 2014

Driscoll has proven to be the amazing opportunity I had sought in order to develop as a pediatrician. When looking for a residency program I prioritized teaching, volume, and variety. For teaching, I have appreciated the focus that the program places on ensuring a system that affords residents with an education second to none. The well-focused curriculum is a good balance of patient experiences, teaching rounds, organized lectures, and focused reading. Importantly, the attending physicians and specialist offer up to date information through personal relationships. For patient experiences, the patient volume and variety offers me more than ample opportunity to work with numerous cases presenting with both the common and uncommon conditions. With this I have no doubt in my ability to complete the program fully capable in general pediatrics and prepared for fellowship should I choose.

In addition to these items that I looked for in my personal selection of a residency program, Driscoll has other attractive attributes. One special characteristic is the involvement of community pediatricians in hospitalized patient care. Such a system has allowed me to pull strengths from a large number of pediatricians in relationships where I am treated with a great deal of respect. It has been wonderful to be in my position at Driscoll where with ample support and guidance residents are a key element in delivering great care to children.

Another attribute that I cannot leave unmentioned is the warm family atmosphere I enjoy working within. I benefit from being surrounded by talented, hard working, and supportive residents that I share my education and work with. They are selected from the best around the world for their character as well as their abilities. I cannot imagine a better opportunity anywhere.

Sanjeet Panda M.D.

Class 2014

"Hello Friends !!! Warm Greetings from the Residents at Driscoll Children's Hospital. It has been a great journey for me till now; warm and thankful patients, always ready to help staff, ever approachable Attendings and then, not to forget the icing on the cake, is Dr. Dirksen, our Program director. Although an IMG, I never felt aloof or away from home. We call it the Driscoll Family and you can feel it as soon as you visit our Program, making it distinct from others. No scutwork, a lot of teaching and adequate exposure to varied pathology, due to the location of Program, is what you will be getting here. A lot of flexibility in rotations and continuous support from our dedicated consultants, helps you steer ahead in regards to research work and needs for your required fellowship, which is well proved by the percentage of our residents matching their first preference for fellowships. I have no doubts about my choice. Hope you find the right place for yourself. All the Best !! "

Shaye Tegeler, D.O.

Class 2013

Driscoll is a great place to work. Not only do you get to meet and learn from outstanding attendings from all over the world, but many of your fellow residents are a melting pot of various cultures and backgrounds as well. It is an amazing place to not only learn medicine, but also to learn about the world as a whole, all right here in local Corpus Christi. Another wonderful aspect of Driscoll is the Driscoll Foundation, which has been serving the children of South Texas since the hospital began. Not many hospitals have such a strong background supporting them daily like Driscoll does. Both the hospital and the community work hand in hand every day, week, month, and year to make sure every child gets what they deserve, the best health care around from the most caring people you can find.

Santiago Encalada, M.D.

Class 2013

In one word my personal experience in Driscoll has been "amazing". It has the perfect blend of hands on clinical experience and didactics. The program offers enough flexibility for me to choose subspecialty rotations based on my interest. But what I value most in the program is the relationship that residents have with each other. We treat each other like family.

Devasena Iyer, M.D.

Class 2012

Things I like about being in Driscoll -- The attendings who are very approachable and who know all of the residents by first name, and the nurses who help us at every turn, teaching us on the job and sometimes with tough love. It is the respiratory therapists who help us watch our patients when the floors routinely explode with RSV patients each winter, and the pharmacists who will help with adjusting a drug dosage in the middle of the night and end the conversation with, "have a great call". It is the 41 other residents with whom we all take the 3 year long test of fire together. We've seen each other at our highest and our lowest. We've seen each other grow, and we've got each other's backs. So what makes Driscoll stand above many other Pediatrics programs in the country? It's definitely the people.

Leah Mercado, M.D.

Class 2010

Driscoll Children's is home to more than 40 pediatric residents who come from across the country and all over the world. The individual achievement, talent and experience that each resident brings promote professional and personal development and makes for a fun work and learning environment. You can come here with any career path in mind and be assured that you will be well prepared either as a General Pediatrician or a subspecialist.

Ann Thyssen, D.O.

Class 2010

I like to describe the experience of being a resident at Driscoll as working hard with good people. You can't go wrong in a place where everyone is there because they love kids, but Driscoll is also a unique microcosm of people with the right priorities - God and family. Everyone has great work ethic and I have learned a lot from all my colleagues. I don't think I will find another hospital like it.

Sonia Mathew, M.D.

Class 2012

A visiting resident once asked me, "Why is everybody smiling here?" That was exactly what struck me when I visited Driscoll for the first time. The security guards, the cafeteria personnel, housekeeping staff, nurses and doctors, all have a smile or an encouraging word for you. There is an always a helping hand when in need. If you are gone a few days, you are missed. They welcome you like a long lost friend upon return. Strangers strike up conversations in the elevator or the hallways. You make a new friend everyday. Perhaps it's the leadership, or the spirit of Clara Driscoll, or just the joy of being around children. It's a happy place and we are reminded of it everyday.
You will see it and experience it too.

Sheshashree Seshadri, M.D.

Class 2013

You start your day with warm greetings of, "Hola que paso?" People at Driscoll and Corpus are as warm as the weather. Formal morning report with teaching case serves as cappuccino for the brain and teaching rounds add more caffeine. A myriad of pathology, not just therapeutic but evidence based, and preventive medicine with a balance of clinic based and inpatient setting prepares you to face the world after residency. Add a beach for the kids, swimming for all, and surfing for the dangerous ? - and you have it all.