The question I have been asked repeatedly since becoming a residency program director is, “Why would you leave your job to build a new program? Why take the risk?” For me, the answer is simple:

I have dreamt of running a residency program since I was an intern. To be able to build one from scratch is an opportunity I could not refuse. It is a dream come true for me.

How I got here:

I grew up in Missouri, just outside of St. Louis. I went to college and medical school at Tulane in New Orleans. I met my wife there in medical school, couples matched, and stayed at Tulane for the rest of our training.

As a second-year resident, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and forced my wife and I to spend the next five months training in Houston. During my time there, I had the privilege of watching my program director give of himself endlessly to keep our program together, despite it being spread across multiple states. I learned a great deal from his dedication to the residents and his ability to adapt to the challenges we faced.

After completing our training, we moved to New York where I became a hospitalist and Associate Program Director at Westchester Medical Center. After a few years, I found my way across the street to New York Medical College where I was the Director of the Medicine Clerkship and Assistant Dean for Clinical Sciences, overseeing the third and fourth year of medical school. For those nine years, I continued to work with residents in various didactic settings and precepted with them in clinic.

As Assistant Dean, I had the benefit of working with many residency programs to see how they constructed their programs to fit the needs of their hospital and their residents. I also saw how the programs look from a student and faculty perspective. All of this gives me a unique view of how to build and run a program.

All that time, I kept tinkering with ideas of how I would make a residency program. The privilege of building that dream program here at Northern Westchester Hospital, and seeing it truly blossom, has been incredibly rewarding. Watching our inaugural class successfully complete their intern year and now step into their roles as PGY-2s—ready to guide and mentor—has been a profound experience. We are also thrilled to have just welcomed our bright and eager second class of interns, who are embarking on their PGY-1 journey and adding their unique energy to our community. Together, these pioneering residents are shaping a vibrant, supportive, and dynamic learning environment. Now, as we eagerly prepare to recruit our third cohort, my excitement is for the continued growth and deepening of this resident community, and for the opportunity to train even more physicians to be the best they can be. I am immensely proud of what we are building together and look forward to sharing it with you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Stallings