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Q&A with the Class of 2027 Inaugural Residency Class

Kayla Powell Inaugural Residency Class of 2027 Indiana University School of Medicine Indiana University — Purdue

Why were you interested in the Methodist residency program in ENT? I really appreciated the fact that the program has helped train ENT residents from great programs, such as UT Houston, UTMB, and Baylor, but at the same time is a new program with endless potential for residents to come to the table and shape the program.

What do you believe made you stand out among the applicants? I was fortunate enough to have unwavering support from my home Otolaryngology program, which I think strengthened my application tremendously. I also think that my interest in public health is especially pertinent in a diverse and eclectic city like Houston and helped me be seen as someone uniquely suited for the role at Houston Methodist. What do you expect to find unique about your training at Methodist and the Texas Medical Center? With TMC being the largest medical center in the country, I cannot imagine the number of resources and opportunities available to residents that enhance both surgical training and patient care. In terms of the Otolaryngology residency program itself, it is such a privilege to be selected to be a member of an inaugural residency class, and I look forward to using this once in a lifetime opportunity to advocate for issues that impact residents and patients and forming tight knit relationships with my co-resident and attendings. What are you looking forward to about living in Houston? I am absolutely obsessed with Tex-Mex food, so I can’t wait to be surrounded by seriously good Tex-Mex restaurants. I also lived in North Carolina for several years and loved being able to be outdoors for most months of the year, so I am thrilled to be coming back down south and ditching my heavy winter coat! What will be the first city sights you will visit? I have wanted to see the Space Center since I was a kid, so that will likely be first! I have also heard great things about the theatre district from friends in the area, so I definitely plan on checking that out, as well.

Franklin Wu Inaugural Residency Class of 2027 Keck School of Medicine of USC University of California, Berkley

Why were you interested in the Methodist residency program in ENT? I was excited to join a new program with such an established and renowned group of otolaryngologists. I knew I'd be receiving excellent training in Houston with all the attendings with so many years of teaching experience, and my faculty mentors from USC had nothing but amazing things to say about the people they knew here. Also, I was thrilled to be able to set the culture and foundation for the residency program for years to come.

What do you believe made you stand out among the applicants? I think my previous experiences as a leader in my community and school helped me stand out during the interview process. I loved my community at Keck, so I dedicated a lot of my time to service through my time in the student council and various student interest groups. I was able to host fundraisers for the local county hospital, and I also led a sustainable head and neck cancer screening event in medical school. What do you expect to find unique about your training at Methodist and the Texas Medical Center? I expect to see patients from all different backgrounds and life experiences here at Houston Methodist and the TMC. Houston is such a diverse and big city, and I know the variety of patients I see here will give me an unparalleled training experience throughout my residency. What are you looking forward to about living in Houston? I'm looking forward to all the good food and BBQ I haven't been able to have since I left Texas. I can't complain about California food, but they definitely don't have any good Tex-Mex or BBQ places, so I can't wait to fully explore the food scene here in Houston. What will be the first city sights you will visit? I can't wait to fully explore everything in the museum district. I'm a huge history nerd, and my partner loves art, so I know we'll both love that entire area. Also, I can't wait to eventually watch a Rockets vs. Spurs game in the Toyota Center once the next NBA season begins. I'm a huge Spurs fan, so it'll be amazing to watch a game between two long-time rivals in a city like Houston (even if they're both not that great right now).