PGY1

Hi all! My name is Alex Bennett. I’m from outside of Chicago in Aurora where I grew up with a big, crazy family. I moved slightly east to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan for undergrad and studied neuroscience and Spanish.  There, I fell in love with global health and traveling during my study abroad experiences in Argentina and Spain, and knew I was ultimately working toward a career in medicine. I stayed in Ann Arbor to work as an EMT and PCA for a year after graduation but eventually moved farther east for medical school here at UMass! It wasn’t until my third-year clerkships that I found OB/Gyn to be my passion, from the diverse care  provided throughout a patient’s life to the incredible work that can be done through patient advocacy.  I absolutely love the community at UMass and in Worcester and could not be more thrilled to stay in a place I consider my second home. Although I envision myself eventually heading back to the Midwest,  I know that I will be prepared for whatever career path I choose with the training and mentoring provided by the amazing faculty and staff here. While I am not in the hospital, I love to be active with my puppy, ZuZu, who is a ball of energy and is just learning to run with me! We love to hike and take trips to dog-friendly breweries and restaurants in the area. I also love to travel, visit my family and friends as much as possible, bake, read, and generally continue to explore the northeast! 

Hi! I’m Rachel Himel. My family moved around a lot as I was growing up, so I’ve experienced a little slice of many parts of the US. I went to college and graduate school at the University of Montana where I studied English and Education. I was a teacher for 9 years before applying to medical school. Education is a deep-seated passion of mine. I believe it’s our biggest tool for righting the world’s wrongs. My career goals lie in the world of academic medicine. My husband and I were looking to spend the years of residency at an academic program located in a place where we could have easy access to nature, a backyard for our dogs, and a supportive community for our baby (who is on the way!).  I can say with my whole heart that we’ve found that and more at UMass. It is truly a gem of a residency program. The residents are a supportive, cohesive team, and the leadership is excellent at teaching us to care for the people, souls, and uteruses of Massachusetts.  

Hi! My name is Edesiri; I often go by Des. I am originally from the Bronx but mostly grew up in CT. I went to Boston University for college and returned to CT where I spent a year as an ophthalmic technician before starting medical school at UConn. I was always interested in becoming a physician, but during my third year rotating through OBGYN, I was able to form a clearer idea of the type of physician I wanted to be. For me, OBGYN encompasses all the aspects of medicine that I enjoy: continuity of care and preventive medicine, surgery and procedures, and advocacy. I'm excited to be back in Massachusetts and growing fond of Worcester and the amazing residents and faculty I work with each day. In my free time, I enjoy getting vitamin D on long walks or hikes, dancing, and discovering fun new hobbies like kickboxing and hot yoga.

"Hi! I'm Rachael and am so glad to have matched here at UMass! I grew up in Virginia and went UVA for Undergrad (go hoos!), where I studied biochemistry and global health. I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue medicine and seeing how much public health impacts health led me to the University of Miami for medical school, where I was able to study medicine and public health together for both an MD and MPH degree. Throughout my time in Miami, I was drawn to OB/GYN for its public health and social justice components as well as the excitement of birth and surgical care. I can't wait to get to practice all those aspects and more at UMass!

Outside of work, I love traveling with my wife, doing outdoor yoga, and cooking heartwarming meals with family and friends."

Hello! I’m Akanksha, I grew up in Massachusetts and went to Boston University where I studied Biology & Psychology. After college, I worked as a clinical research coordinator in the Women’s Hormones and Aging Research Program where I helped run clinical trials and observational studies to improve the quality of life for women going through the menopause transition. I then returned to Boston University for medical school where I found my passion for obstetrics and gynecology, and researched risk factors and interventions for obstetric hemorrhage. I also founded the National South Asian Medical Student Association, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support medical students and address the health needs of the South Asian American community. I am so excited to continue my training at UMass Memorial and working in the same maternity center where my mom had my sister! Outside of medicine, I enjoy cooking, swimming, and caring for my many houseplants