Habiba Fayyaz

Habiba Fayyaz

Medical Resident/Fellow

Professional Summary

Personal Statement
Walking into the exam room on a busy day in resident clinic, I began gathering the history of a man in his 50s. He was a patient with Type 2 diabetes for many years and was now requiring insulin. He told me about his difficulty with maintaining steady blood glucose levels and how he felt constantly overwhelmed from balancing the anxiety of going too low with the fear of beginning to experience the consequences of his disease. Moments like this bring forth flashbacks to my initial visits with my endocrinologist in a room covered with warning signs of neuropathy and retinopathy. I couldn’t help but wiggle my toes and adjust my glasses. I took a deep breath, and I began to answer the patient’s questions about the benefits of a continuous glucose monitor. Was it necessary for him? Would it provide him with the information he needed to better manage his diabetes? Could he even afford it? My experience over the last decade has equipped me with the empathy and courage necessary to have these tough patient conversations

Why I Chose Cincinnati
Despite a virtual format, my interview with Cincinnati IM made me feel instantly connected to the residents and faculty there. I was so impressed by the thoughtfulness behind resident teaching and the structure of the residency program. Each of the residents seemed genuinely excited to talk about their favorite aspects of the program. My interviewers were just as invested in learning about how I hoped to grow as a physician as I was in learning about the various unique features Cincinnati IM had to offer. Ultimately, my decision was made based on my gut feeling that Cincinnati IM would be a place where I could best develop new skills as a physician, learn as a resident, and be supported as a person through a difficult but rewarding three years of training.

Education

MD: Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine