Match Day Student Profile: Megan Burke

For four years, students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix have worked toward Match Day — the day they learn where they will spend the next several years as resident-physicians and a major step toward building their career in medicine. Match results are released nationally at ceremonies coordinated to occur at the exact same time across the country. Members of the Class of 2020 will receive letters that reveal where they will go for their residency training at precisely 9:00 a.m. Friday, March 20. The UA College of Medicine – Phoenix is profiling several students in advance of Match Day 2020.

Meet Megan Burke

Megan Burke attended high school at Xavier College Prep in Phoenix and graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a bachelor's of science degree in biology.

Path toward Medicine

Both of Burke’s parents are physicians, so she witnessed first-hand the joys of the profession. In middle school and high school, she discovered a love of science, particularly biology. During high school, she worked in medical records at her mom’s pediatric practice.

“Each experience I had, from volunteering at Phoenix Children’s Hospital to being a patient many times myself thanks to cheerleading injuries, kept reaffirming my decision to pursue a career in medicine,” she said.

Choosing a Specialty

Since her mother is a general pediatrician, Burke viewed going to the pediatrician as something fun and exciting, rather than something scary. She loved seeing the bond her mom formed with her patients and their parents and how, by intervening early, she could impact their health over a lifetime.

Despite this experience, Burke still wasn’t sure what pediatric specialty she wanted to pursue. During her clerkship, she “fell in love” with pediatric critical care medicine because it married her passion for pediatric physiology and pathology, procedures and intense situations where the physician had to have ethical and vulnerable conversations with patients and families.

Extracurricular Activities

Burke served on student government as secretary and was a co-chair of the Pediatric Interest Group. She volunteered with Phoenix Children’s Hospital Crews’n Healthmobile and the Wesley Community and Health Center tutoring program. She traveled to the Dominican Republic with the college’s Global Health group, which she called a fun, educational and humbling experience.

Outside of medical school, Burke attends spin and yoga classes. She began distance running during her second year and ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon in Phoenix with several classmates. She is currently training for another half marathon in May.

Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix

Burke chose the College of Medicine – Phoenix because she felt welcome and at home on interview day.

“All of the faculty, staff and students legitimately enjoyed each other’s company and were so happy,” she said. “The students felt supported, and the environment was collaborative versus competitive. They raved about the clinical training and how they feel so prepared for third- and fourth-year, and after taking doctoring with Maricela Moffitt, MD, I can absolutely say that is true. It also was a big plus for me that I would be close to my family again after being in Los Angeles for four years.

Favorite Medical School Memory

“During first-year, I remember studying with friends, celebrating after exams and having themed parties as often as we could. We all went to laser tag together, and our competitive personalities really came out that night.

“I loved going to the Dominican Republic, especially the clinic day when a tropical storm hit out of nowhere, but we still saw upwards of 300 patients, utilizing translators for French, Haitian and Spanish.

“I enjoyed bonding with the new MS1s on their retreat when I was an MS2, playing Catchphrase and watching “The Blair Witch Project.” Second-year, we dressed up in theme for pretty much all of our exams. Once we all hit clerkships during third-year, many of my favorite memories involve my cohort (go track G!). One of my favorite didactic sessions was during pediatrics when we did a simulation with a sick child and Dustin Rayhorn, MD, a hospitalist who was acting as the “concerned father,” became overly emotional and hysterical.

“Then came fourth-year, when we all dispersed throughout the Valley and the country for rotations specific to our specialty. I remember being so excited to do Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Phoenix Children’s Hospital because I would get to work with Lisa Grimaldi, MD, and go back to didactics with some of my classmates.

“Finally, I had a full circle moment recently after my interviews were over and I was back on campus doing the CBI teaching elective. I remember being an MS1 and having an MS4 in my CBI and thinking, ‘She is so impressive and is going to be a doctor soon!’ Now being that fourth-year and seeing CBI from a different perspective caused me to reflect on the past four years and how much we have all learned. I’m so grateful to have gone to a school that makes it so difficult to choose one favorite memory.”

Advice to Current or Future Medical Students

Take care of yourself, Burke said.

“Medical school is extremely difficult, and it can be easy to lose yourself in the process. Keep up with your hobbies, see your family and friends, especially those outside of medicine, and be kind to yourself.

“Imposter syndrome is real, and everyone will experience it at some point. Reach out to your classmates because it’s likely that if you’re having a hard time with a block or clerkship or patient or attending, someone else is, too. Your peers will be your future colleagues, and you get to have this unique shared experience over four years. It goes so quickly, so try and savor every moment.”

• More Match Day 2020 Student Profiles.