Fellow Focus in Four – Mario Felix, MD

Fellow Focus in Four introduces you to fellows from each section of the Department of Internal Medicine. This month's fellow is Mario Felix, MD, a clinical fellow in rheumatology.

Why did you choose medicine?

I had a really great pediatrician growing up who built a close bond with me and my family. I remember being enamored by how he had the perfect mix of calmness, intelligence, and relatability. He was a great role model and because of him I knew from a very early age that medicine was the career for me.

Why did you choose Yale Department of Internal Medicine for your fellowship?

I loved that it was a large department and that every faculty member had their own unique interests and carved out their own niche. I really liked that one of the program’s goals is to provide individualized guidance to help you manifest the type of career that you envision for yourself. I also loved that the program’s graduates over the years have moved on to a mix of different career paths including private practice, academia, and industry. That versatility was really attractive to me. From the start of fellowship, I have had an overwhelmingly positive level of support from the program administration in helping me to figure out the type of career I want to have and the steps I need to take to get there. I also loved that everybody that I’ve worked with is both wonderfully brilliant and refreshingly down-to-earth, which makes even the most difficult days very easy to get through.

What was your path to Yale?

I was born and raised in CT and was a student in the undergraduate college many years ago. I graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology in 2013. I then took a gap year between college and medical school studying the physiology and genetics of circadian rhythms and sleep in fruit flies in the Nitabach lab at Yale SOM. I then moved on to UCONN school of medicine where I graduated with an MD in 2018. I then transitioned to a combined internal medicine and pediatrics program at Albany Medical Center where I recently graduated. I am excited to be back at Yale to complete my rheumatology training.

What's a fun fact about you? I’m first generation born in the United States. I am of Haitian background and can speak fluent Haitian Kreyol.

Perks of living in New Haven? Connecticut?

The food in New Haven is amazing. It is also a perfectly-sized area with metropolitan vibes without the overwhelming busyness of a large city, which is great for me. I also was born and raised in Connecticut, so it has always felt like home for me. It is family friendly, is deceptively eclectic in the different type of fun activities available to do on a weekend, and it is driving distance between 2 large metropolitan centers in New York and Boston if you really want your cultural fix.

What is your 5-year goal? 10-year? Overall career?

I am still trying to figure it out. But I think I see myself in academia for at least the next 5-10 years. I am interested in combining big data, informatics, and health technology to both identify health inequities within the field of rheumatology and to develop creative solutions to create a fairer health system for all. I also really enjoy working and teaching trainees of all types and can see myself in a medical educator role. But again, I am still trying to figure it out.