Senior Send-Off: Pratik Talati
Name: Pratik Talati
Hometown: Pelham, AL
Intended Specialty: Neurological Surgery
How did you decide on your specialty?
I explored different specialties that revolved around neuroscience, including Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuro-radiology, and Neurosurgery. At the end, I felt that Neurosurgery contained everything I was looking for in a specialty. I'm especially excited about being at the interface between Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
What is the best piece of advice you have gotten from an attending or mentor?
When thinking about a specialty, get a good sense of what the attending lifestyle is like – you are only an intern and resident for a short amount of time.
What is your favorite thing about your Vanderbilt experience?
The focus on Wellness!
What is your best piece of advice for an incoming first year medical student at Vandy?
Learn everything well the first time around. It's much easier to relearn some material for national standardized exams or in the clinical context when taking care of patients.