Michael Brunner, MD

Hometown: St. Clair, MI
Undergraduate Degree: Biochemistry - Grand Valley State University, MI
Medical Degree: University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Memphis
Internship: University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Memphis 

Why did you choose Baptist?
Baptist offered the best mixture of amenities and training by far out of all the programs I interviewed at. You'll see the same wide variety of pathology available at any academic program, but you'll get the chance to learn the speed and accuracy needed for private practice. Our faculty enjoy teaching and working with residents and you will feel like a member of the team here. There's so many benefits like a free laptop to start R1 year, extensive food (and a wide variety of snacks and drinks always stocked in our coordinators office!), free covered parking, extra pay for on-call shifts, and so much more. Plus, Memphis is a great medium-sized city for everyone to find something fun for them, whether you are single or married with kids.

What is your day like? Any challenges? What's rewarding about your day?
Right now, I'm on the "Inpatient Body" rotation, so I usually wake up around 5:30 AM to study a bit before work because I have kids and don't want to study in the evenings. I get to work at 8 AM and start by putting full reads on the overnight prelims, which I then check out with the Attendings. I also pick up any stat CT's or Ultraounds that come through the ED or Inpatient/ICU. We have an hour protected time for lunch so I usually head over to get (FREE) lunch and enjoy conference. Then, I keep picking up CT's and ultrasounds (plus some plain films when I can) from 1 - 5 PM, when our short float and 5-10 PM on-call residents arrive. It can be challenging to try and keep up as a new R1, but its definitely rewarding when you start to pick up some speed and feel like you are becoming more accurate going through studies.

What is your favorite thing about Memphis?
Great place to raise a family. Shelby Farms Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country (4500 acres, which is 5x the size of Central Park in NYC!) and its a great place to take your dogs, go for a walk, exercise, or enjoy a picnic. There are so many great places to go out to eat all across Memphis (my personal favorites are Young Avenue Deli, The BBQ shop, and Sweet Noshings). The cost of living is fantastic compared to other cities. And there's a wide variety of sporting events, from really affordable and fun minor leagues like the Redbirds (baseball) and 901 FC (soccer) to the big leagues with the Grizzles (NBA).

What made you decide on your career? Was there someone or something in your life that helped you choose your path?
I loved radiology because we are one of the main gears that keeps the hospital moving. Modern medicine intimately relies on imaging for optimal patient care and that demands excellent, expert imagers. We provide answers to all physicians in the hospital and this is a great way to feel involved in so many facets of medicine. From chest radiographs to 1st trimester ultrasounds to MRIs of the brain, there is an opportunity to experience the spectrum of medicine and medical knowledge in radiology while playing good music at your workstation. As someone who prefers to make a difference in the background and didn't need to "lead the team," I definitely feel like I have the best seat in the house working in the dark room.

Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?
We all have to do residency, so you might as well do it at a place you'll enjoy the ride. At Baptist, you'll get great benefits and amenities with excellent training, and ample opportunities to enjoy time outside of work. We also have a great record of residents going to top-tier fellowships before starting their careers. Based on everything written above, I definitely don't think you can go wrong by choosing to do your training here with us in Memphis.