Nishtha Modi
“I decided to pursue internal medicine because it’s so global and you treat the whole body. With internal medicine, it’s not just one thing that you focus on, you focus on the entire human.”
What brought you to WVU?
I was looking for a place that was friendly. I had heard rumors about med school being really challenging, so I decided to surround myself with people that are happy, kind and fun. I wanted to be around people who would teach me more things about life than I could imagine.
What made you interested in medicine?
I wanted to travel, so I thought, “what better way to travel than to also serve while seeing the world?”
What is it about Internal Medicine that you like?
It’s a combination of everything. Regardless of where you go, people will need treatment, even in situations with very little resources. I decided to pursue internal medicine because it’s so global and you treat the whole body. With internal medicine, it’s not just one thing that you focus on, you focus on the entire human.
What are the strengths of the residency program at WVU?
For me, I wanted to be part of a program that focused on internal medicine. As someone who wants to travel a lot while practicing medicine, I found a program that really values that, so I decided to stay here for residency.
What is it that the program values here that meets what you need from a residency program?
People here realize that you have a life outside of the hospital, and I value that a lot. People recognize that you are more than a doctor. The initials in front of your name are part of your job, but you have several roles outside of the hospital in your personal life, and that’s the thing that I value the most about this program
There are a lot of residents in the internal medicine program. How do you all get along?
Overall, people here are nice and very kind, and that’s the most important thing to me. If I needed something or if something happened outside of the hospital where I wouldn’t be able to work for a day or two, I could always reach out to my colleagues and that’s quite nice. Regardless of whether you are best friends or not, people support each other. Someone is always willing to help you. Part of the growing up process is trying to learn from one another, and I have met several people along the journey where I feel that I have grown a lot as a human being
What is your relationship like with the faculty, staff and attendings?
I joke with them a lot. They’re great human beings and very good mentors. Many have become friends through the process, even though they have much more training than me. It’s nice to get to know them and hear about their journeys in medicine. I’ve learned from them not just about medicine, but life outside of medicine. They’re all very relatable.
Can you talk more about the technology and resources provided within the residency program?
With the simulation center, everyone that works there knows practicing “real” medicine it’s different than what you learn in books.
Can you tell us more about the Wellness Program?
I love the FSAP (Faculty and Staff Assistance Program) here. All of the residents have access to a therapist, and we can see them once a week for as many times as we want. It’s nice to discuss how you’re doing and have somebody that you can talk to because regardless of how smart you are, you’re going to face challenges along the way. You may question yourself about whether you’re good enough or not. As doctors we tend to be too hard on ourselves and very harsh, so the FSAP program really helps you understand yourself better and be kind to yourself.
What would you tell someone thinking about doing their residency at WVU?
I didn’t think residency would be so much fun. I’ve learned a lot compared to things that I knew last year. I know so much more now than I did before and along the way I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve also traveled a lot. I get to practice medicine in Uganda for a month and go with attendings to different parts of the world and just learn how to practice medicine with very little resources.
What are the benefits of being at a large, tertiary hospital for residency?
It’s very beneficial that we are at a tertiary center because the most difficult cases get sent to Ruby, so you do get to see much more than you would at another facility because this is the only tertiary center in the state.
Let’s talk about Morgantown. Was it a very big change?
I had to learn how to drive when I came to Morgantown. I never thought I would live in a city where I would need to know how to drive, but it’s been great. I have learned how to kayak. I didn’t know I was a hiker, I thought hiking meant going to Central Park for a walk!
What is it like to live in Morgantown as a young professional?
I like the outdoors scene here; activities like kayaking, hiking, whitewater rafting is just minutes away. The farmers market on Saturday is excellent too, especially if you are into flowers.
Did you have any fears about moving from a large, urban area to a smaller town?
I really worried about if I would ever be a good enough driver to drive on hilly roads, but I overcame that obstacle. Driving in New York City is awful and here it is just hilly, but I think I did okay.
Is there anything else you would like to share about the residency program at WVU?
If there’s any specialty that someone wants to do, people really try to help you out to make sure that you can get into the fellowship that you want to get into, whether it’s research or global health or wanting to do healthcare policy after you get done. People go above and beyond here to make sure that you can get what you want from your professional career. They’re not trying to mass produce generic doctors here. They’re trying to create good human beings who are very competent in the outside world as well.
What is your favorite thing to do in Morgantown?
Going to the farmers market on Saturday.
What is something nobody should miss while in Morgantown?
The best Malaysian restaurant in the country is located right here in Morgantown, West Virginia, it’s called TK’s.
Where do you take people from out-of-town?
I take them to this trail called Hemlock Trail. It’s a hidden gem. I love the sound of flowing water and I like to take people there.