Alumni Testimonials

Derek Blankenship, MD (Class of 2020): "During my time at UMass, I was exposed to an unparalleled surgical volume and complexity. As a resident, we benefited from tremendous autonomy in patient management, which developed our procedural skills and ability to serve as consultants. UMass prepared me to be confident and successful in managing the sickest of patients as an anesthesiologist. I am grateful for the mentorship and lifelong friendships that I forged at UMass and wouldn't be where I am today without them.”

Peter Grzesik, DO (Class of 2020): "I chose to pursue residency at UMass due to the connection I felt with all my co residents, faculty, and staff. I really was able to pursue all my interests and felt supported during my entire education. UMass prepared me well for fellowship and taught me to be compassionate, well trained, and resilient anesthesiologist. The friends I made during my education will stay with me for my lifetime. I am grateful for all the opportunities afforded to me and support shown by everyone."

Hilary Hott, MD (Class of 2020): "I received great training at UMass. The faculty really are what make this anesthesiology residency. The balance of supervision and autonomy prepared me well for cardiac fellowship. The patient population has complex pathology and learning to manage sick cardiac, vascular, trauma, pediatric, and liver transplant cases was an invaluable experience." 

Vainuupo Jessop, MD (Class of 2016): "I will forever be grateful for the time I spent at UMass.  The cases I did as a resident more than prepared me for my current job in private practice. The attending physicians I worked with were highly invested in my education while providing me the best clinical experience possible. I had the great opportunity to do a critical care fellowship at UMass when I finished residency. The schedule that was outlined for me by JAS was fantastic and I was able to rotate through the SICU, MICU, CVICU, and the NCCU.  The attendings I worked with in these units were great in that they helped me have a greater understanding of their specialties. Not only has this helped me be a better intensivist, it has helped me be a better anesthesiologist as well."

Daniel Lotz, MD (Class of 2019): "Residency is the embodiment of "you reap what you sow." While at UMass, I worked hard, stayed late, and went above and beyond to get involved with cases that I was interested in. This mindset was rewarded, and the cases would always find me. It was the time spent in the OR that prepared me to be an attending.  Your first case as an attending can be terrifying, but I was more than ready.  I still remember the meticulous preparation that went into doing a vascular case with Dr. Walz and how he'd always be able to give just one more tip on how to improve my approach. A complex endovascular aortic repair with Dr. Scott also sticks out in my mind, a case where both the iliac artery and the thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm ruptured at different stages of the case, as the gold standard for anesthesia and surgical teamwork to ultimately achieve a favorable outcome.  It wasn't until recently that I realized how important these, and many other experiences, were and how it prepared me for my future.  My mentors wholeheartedly supported my pursuit of dual fellowship training in cardiac anesthesiology and critical care medicine, and now I find myself at a quaternary referral center practicing at the forefront of medicine. Everything I have learned, and the physician I have become, is a testament to my time at the University of Massachusetts." 

Tyler Mattingly, DO (Class of 2022): "UMass anesthesia gave me world class training that helped prepare me for the rigors of an interventional pain management fellowship.  When I graduated from the program, I felt very confident in my clinical skills and anesthetic technique. UMass helped me further develop my critical thinking/problem solving skills that I continue to use daily in my clinical practice.  When I gained interest in pain medicine my CA-1 year, the program was extremely supportive and made sure to put me in clinical situations that furthered my interest. UMass anesthesia is highly respected nationally, and I know without the program's support, I would not have acquired my dream fellowship in pain management. If I had the choice again, I would choose UMass!"

Rose Schack, DO (Class of 2020): "I am so grateful to have completed my residency training at UMass. Throughout my training, I was exposed to such a large volume of complex and diverse cases and patients which helped me gain the skills and confidence I needed to become an anesthesiologist. My absolute favorite thing about training at UMass, however, were the clinical faculty who taught me so much and made learning every day possible. Now, each time I do something the way I was taught at UMass it makes me smile and reminds me of all the wonderful teachers I had in residency."

Michael Schoor, MD (Class of 2019): "I feel grateful for my training at the University of Massachusetts. The experience I gained was world class and allowed me to develop my own confidence. The program offered me a wide depth and breadth of clinical scenarios at a volume that allowed for true honing of our skills. I still remember doing liver transplants, high risk OB, cardiac, neurosurgery, pediatrics, thoracic, orthopedics, general surgery, and large vascular cases with my favorite attendings. What made the program truly special were the staff and other residents at UMass. They are educators and clinicians that still hold spots in my own personal teacher “Hall of Fame.”  They were dedicated and committed to my success. I am an Associate Residency Program Director now and I appreciate my mentors even more. My resident class and I all agree that we graduated well prepared, with the tools and knowledge to take on whatever challenges faced us in the healthcare industry. The days are short, and the nights are long, and if I were given the option to do it all over, there is no doubt I would choose residency and Fellowship at UMass again."