Mark Naftanel, M.D.
Dermatology – House Office II (1st year Dermatology resident, completed
prelim year in Internal Medicine at U-M last year)
Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine, Class of 2005
29, married to U-M Psychiatry resident (couples' match)
Why Michigan?
We heard great things from everyone who had been here, and it had a great reputation among people we talked to at our home medical school. Every single department here is strong, so that made it an easy choice when we were trying to couples' match. Also, we wanted a place with strong training but an enjoyable quality of life, and U-M and Ann Arbor offer just that.
Describe a typical day.
| 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. | Lecture, book club, etc (all led by attendings, very interactive). |
| 9 a.m. - noon | See patients in Dermatology Clinic (residents see every patient, no 'private patients') |
| Noon - 1 p.m. | Lunch, catch up on dictations, meet friends from other departments for lunch. |
| 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. | See patients in Dermatology Clinic. |
| 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Finish dictations, call back patients about biopsies, etc. |
| 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Get home, unwind, eat dinner. |
| 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. | Read, catch a movie, watch TV, meet up with friends, catch a comedy show, play basketball, go running. |
What are your joys and your challenges throughout the workday?
The joys of the workday are seeing patients in an efficient hospital system. The support staff in our Department is great, which allows us to focus on being doctors instead of the time-consuming little things. Plus there's a good overall vibe around the hospital – people are happy to be here, and it's a fun work environment. The challenges center around learning all that medicine has to offer, but having great teachers along the way.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Being in Dermatology means that I have weekends free. A few of us became members of a local comedy club. Every week they have a new stand-up comedian, and we've really enjoyed a lot of the shows.
In the fall, I love college football so I catch as many Michigan games as possible. Also, when the weather is nice, we enjoy renting canoes and boating down the Huron River. One of the great things about Ann Arbor is all the city parks that it has – tons of places to run, hike, bike and stroll through gardens. Another advantage of being in Ann Arbor is that we're a day trip from fun places like Chicago, northern Michigan, Toronto, etc.
If a prospective resident has free time in Ann Arbor while they're here interviewing, what would you recommend they do?
Stroll through the Arboretum (since it's right next to the Hospital), and grab a bite to eat on Main Street.
What are your plans for the coming year?
Hopefully, jumping on the steep learning curve that everyone talks about in the first year of residency. Outside of work, we plan to enjoy hanging out with friends we've made over the last year, while also taking advantage of some of our weekends to visit friends and family.
Having been here for a while now, what is the number one reason you would recommend Michigan?
The general happiness and friendliness of people here. I think it comes from the fact that people are all high achieving and driven, but without pretentiousness or a high-stress environment.
Any additional comments?
We had no connections to Michigan before arriving here for residency, but we feel like we fit right in. It has many of the benefits of a large city, as well as friendly people and lots of easily accessible outdoor activities. We would make the same decision again in a heartbeat.
