In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we feature Robert Yuan, MD, a second-year Internal Medicine Resident on the Research track at UMass Chan. We recently caught up with Dr. Yuan to learn more about his clinical and research interests, why he chose UMass Chan for residency, and his favorite things to do around Worcester.    

 


Hometown? 
Wayland, MA  

What are your clinical and research interests? 
I am interested in pursuing a career in hematology and oncology. The oncology service here at UMass is one of the most demanding yet rewarding rotations. Some of my most memorable patient relationships occurred there, and I find helping patients through some of the most challenging times of their lives incredibly meaningful. I conduct research with direct patient care in mind and have thus far focused on clinicogenomic risk stratification and treatment selection in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.  

Are you involved in any other groups or activities at UMass Chan that you’d like to highlight? 
UMass provides a wealth of opportunities to explore interests in research and medical education. Being part of the research track allows me to regularly learn about how to conduct high-quality research and to talk to other co-residents about our experiences with finding projects and taking a project through to publication. I am also a longitudinal preceptor for first and second year medical students and really enjoy developing my bedside and didactic teaching skills.  

What makes UMass Chan a great place for your residency? 
I can’t say enough good things about my co-residents. The resident community is supportive, selfless, and hardworking, and it makes a big difference to be able to work with your friends and to look forward to coming to work each day. Additionally, the clinical environment at UMass is unmatched. It allows for an ideal blend of supervision and autonomy in caring for incredibly complex patients.  

Favorite hobbies? 
I started playing golf a few years ago and have been obsessed ever since. There are plenty of courses around Worcester that make it easy to get out there on a day off.   

Favorite thing to do in Worcester/Worcester area? 
Exploring restaurants and breweries! There are some great Thai food and shawarma in the area, and Nu Kitchen is always a favorite.  

What is your go-to board game? 
My friends from home and I have been playing Catan for the past 10 years. It’s nostalgic and competitive and a good excuse to get together about once a month.  

What was your favorite book as a child? 
Definitely the Harry Potter series. I’ve read them all probably at least five times.  

What song/artist do you hope comes on first when you press random play on your playlist?  
Love listening to house music, especially when I’m exercising or doing work. Some of my favorite artists are BUNT, Fred again, and FISHER.