In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we highlight Joseph Daniel, DO, a second-year Internal Medicine resident on the Primary Care and Medical Education track. Here, Dr. Daniel describes his clinical and research interests, what makes UMass Chan a great place for residency, and his favorite spot to eat in Worcester. 

Hometown? 
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts 

What are your clinical and research interests? 
I love all fields of medicine; therefore, it was difficult to decide whether to specialize or not. As I went through my first year, I started to fall in love with cardiology. I have always been fascinated with the physiology of all medicine, but cardiology specifically is extremely nuanced. I have been extremely blessed as UMass has a robust exposure to cardiology through the CCU, Cardiac Step-Down Unit, Cardiology resident team, and Heart Failure resident team.  I have also started to work on a cardiometabolic quality study to increase knowledge and awareness of the importance of prevention in Cardiology and healthcare.  

Are you involved in any other groups or activities at UMass Chan that you’d like to highlight?
I am extremely passionate about medical education and am also a member of the medical education track. By doing this track I have been privileged to mentor several medical students and work on curriculum building for the medical school. Currently, I am helping to build a curriculum session for medical students on how to tackle the difficulties of handling the transition from inpatient to outpatient care.  

What makes UMass Chan a great place for your residency? 
UMass Chan is a great place to train for residency. The complexity and diversity of the patient population along with the education and mentorship available makes this residency special. Additionally, the support from our program directors, faculty, and co-residents makes us feel like a big family.  

Favorite Hobbies?
Hobbies I like to take part in include going to the gym daily, listening to folk records, and going to restaurants/breweries with co-residents and friends. Additionally, I love to have coffee in the morning on the porch, when I can, with our family dog and take him on long walks/explore new places.   

 Favorite thing to do in Worcester/Worcester area? 
My favorite thing to do in the Worcester area would definitely be going to Miyazawa for their sushi, but even more for their matcha latte.