Why UMN
Discover why these trainees chose the University of Minnesota Department of Surgery.
John French, MD
Vascular Surgery
"Living in the Twin Cities prior to medical school, I knew it was a place that I would want to return to for training. It is a great place to work and live. There was no doubt in my mind, given the renowned history of the University of Minnesota, that I would be receiving world-class training. The work atmosphere is collegial and there is an aurora that the faculty are heavily invested in our training. I feel confident that when I graduate, I will feel prepared and confident going into practice."
Cheyenna Espinoza, MD
General Surgery
"I chose Minnesota for several reasons. The residents and faculty I met on the interview day felt genuine and kind and I felt like this was a group of people that I could go through the difficulties of residency with while having fun. The clinical and research experiences at UMN played another huge factor in my decision. We have experiences of all varieties -- from our complex patients at our tertiary referral university hospital setting to a more typical clinical presentations at our community hospital experiences which allows us to learn about the same disease processes at different acuities and with different resources. We see a diverse patient population and provide surgical care to many of our communities most vulnerable. With the different sites that we operate at, I get to see a wide array of practice patterns which will help me determine how I'd like to practice surgery in the future. The research years were a large appeal to me as it provides the time to be able to explore different types of surgical research from preclinical modeling to clinical outcomes, work on my own leadership development, and develop a new skillset to start off my career as an academic surgeon."
Jose Foppiani, MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
"I chose Minnesota for my residency because, being far from my home country, finding a place that offers a true sense of belonging is essential. During my rotation, I instantly felt at home in the Twin Cities, where the rich culture and warm, welcoming community stood out. The area's vibrant atmosphere and diverse experiences resonated with me deeply. Additionally, having some of my longest-term mentors here solidified my decision, offering continued inspiration and fostering my professional growth."
Megan G. Pino, MD, PhD
General Surgery
"I know many people who have trained here, and a strong personal recommendation beats a generic one any day. I'm interested in burn surgery, and we have the opportunity to complete a burn fellowship through Regions Hospital after PGY-3, which was a big draw for me. The Twin Cities also have a huge cultural/arts/foodie scene and are much more affordable than other big cities, which makes life outside of residency a lot of fun."