WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I was born in Oahu, Hawaii and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I lived in Nevada for most of my life but moved to California when I matched into my residency program. Currently, I am working as an attending hospitalist in Southern California.
WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE AND WHAT DID YOU MAJOR IN?
I attended the University of Nevada, Reno and majored in Electrical Engineering. I also have a minor in Psychology.
WHERE DID YOU GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL?
I obtained my MD degree from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
WHY INTERNAL MEDICINE?
Great question! Internal Medicine (IM) is my passion and I honestly couldn’t see myself doing anything else. My favorite part about this specialty is the patient interaction. The absolute best part of my job is the fact that I get to build meaningful relationships with my patients and their families. It definitely gives me a real sense of purpose and satisfaction. I also chose internal medicine due to the wide scope of practice. In IM, we see pretty much everything from head to toe. It is a very cerebral specialty and we manage all the vital organ systems — that’s exactly why I love it!
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND YOUR PERSONAL LIFE?
I have to admit that I didn’t always have a great balance between work and my personal life. While in medical school, I basically focused almost all my time and efforts into studying and noticed myself burning out very quickly. Once residency started, I made a promise to myself to stay well and make time for fun. I currently achieve balance by making an effort to plan fun events and go on short trips whenever I get a weekend off. Residency was very demanding and I often worked 65-80 hours per week. But whenever I did get a day off, I made sure to plan something fun with friends, family, and my husband.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES AND INTERESTS?
I absolutely love traveling and planning future vacations. I’m also starting to pick up on photography, although I still have a lot to learn! One of my special interests is social media in medicine, and love connecting with healthcare professionals and students from all over the world. In my free time, you’ll find me hanging out with friends, trying new restaurants, or just sitting at home catching up on Netflix.
AUDREY SUE CRUZ, MD 