Meet Michael Arcieri, from York, PA. He attended University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and is a PGY-1 in the Traditional Internal Medicine Residency Program.
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What led you to pursue a career in medicine?
A desire to minimize suffering and maximize opportunity in people's lives.
What are your goals after you complete residency? Where do you see yourself?
I am planning to pursue a career in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine with hopes to be a clinician-educator who splits my time between the ICU and my general pulmonology clinic.
Why did you choose Yale IMed for your residency?
Even over my Zoom-limited interview day, I could sense a genuine friendship and camaraderie amongst the residents across the program. Residency is universally hard, and I wanted to be at a place where the people around me made the experience friendly and enjoyable. My co-residents are truly wonderful friends, and I feel most lucky by that.
Describe your experience at Yale IMed in 3 words.
Rewarding, inspiring, fun.
What is your fondest memory at Yale thus far?
New Year’s Eve gathering with my co-interns.
Who has had the greatest influence on you, and why?
My attending Dr. Chang while serving inpatient at the VA! His teaching was incredible, and he fought hard for his patients from admission to discharge planning.
If you could say anything to your younger self, what would you say?
Pay attention to what leaves you energized and drained at the end of the day, and choose the field which maximizes the things that energize you and minimizes the things that drain you! Be honest with yourself and welcome surprises as they come!
What's a fun fact about you?
I’ve become quite the board game fanatic during the pandemic. I also enjoy riding my bike and rock climbing.
What is one piece of advice you'd give someone who is applying for residency?
The medicine and workload will be essentially the same everywhere. Pick the place where the intangibles will fit your personality and interests best (resident personalities, surrounding geographic area and the hobbies it supports, weather, proximity to family and friends). On the stressful days of residency, these are the factors that keep the whole experience enjoyable and rewarding.
What have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments since the beginning of the pandemic?
The biggest challenge of the pandemic has been seeing friends who live in other parts of the country. My biggest accomplishment has been honing my home gardening skills!
The Department of Internal Medicine at Yale is among the nation's premier departments, bringing together an elite cadre of clinicians, investigators and educators in one of the world's top medical schools. To learn more, visit Internal Medicine.