Michael Sandak, MD

Hometown: Upatoi, GA
Undergraduate Degree: Columbus State University
Medical Degree: Mercer University School of Medicine
Internship: Baptist Desoto, Transitional Year 

Why did you choose Baptist?

I chose Baptist because during the interview process everybody seemed genuine, nice, and willing to teach. The program emphasized repetitions that would prepare me to exit residency and enter the workforce as seamlessly as possible.

What is your day like? Any challenges? What's rewarding about your day?

I wake up at 5:07am. I inject water and caffeine into my system and walk the dog. I try to knock out any emails, reading, or other obligations in the early morning. At 6:00 I tell my daughter to get up for school again and turn on Bluey and start waking up my son. Somehow, we all usually get out of the house around 7ish. I usually leave a little early to pick up water and possibly more caffeine from Angela’s office before the 8:00 start times. From 8:00-11:50am I read studies while looking up topics and asking questions along the way. I get lunch and go to didactics until 1:00pm and then return to reading studies or doing procedures until 4-5pm. May hit the hospital gym afterwards, if I am feeling motivated, then I go home and spend time with the family. My biggest challenge is trying to balance study time and family time. The most rewarding part so far is when you start connecting the dots between the literature and the reading room and things that were difficult become less difficult.

What is your favorite thing about Memphis?

Big city with small town feel. The city still has many parks and lakes to spend outside with the kids, while being large enough to have sports and concerts to be excited about.

What made you decide on your career? Was there someone or something in your life that helped you choose your path?

I chose radiology because of the variety. You can read different modalities on multiple systems, you can do a myriad of interventional procedures, or a combination of the two. I chose my path by trial-and-error, but working in the hospital as a cath lab tech and having hands-on experience with patients and procedures encouraged me to return to college and pursue medicine.

Why would you recommend Baptist to a prospective applicant?

Baptist has many opportunities to pick up shifts to hone skills and make extra money. Additionally, we have access to free food, energy drinks, and a nice gym at the hospital. The program will make you ready for fellowship or entering directly into private practice and you can segway into IR if interested.