Chief Residents 2019-2020
Richard Leslie, M.D.
I grew up in Foxboro, MA, home of the Patriots. I have become a “Worcester Lifer,” attending Holy Cross for undergrad, and UMass for medical school. During my time as a medical student I really fell in love with UMass, and I knew that I wanted to stay for my residency. At UMass there is a strong emphasis on training well-rounded clinical physicians. We have the privilege of caring for an incredibly diverse patient population in a rapidly changing and growing city. The community and environment here is very welcoming and supportive. My UMass friends have become my second family; and I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to train and work here. My long-term goal is to remain a clinician-educator and work as a hospitalist in an academic setting.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, go Steelers! For college I moved to Philadelphia and attended the University of Pennsylvania. I then started my northern trajectory and moved to New York City for medical school at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. When applying for internal medicine residency, I was looking for a program that was strong clinically with a collegial environment. I had such a great time during my interview and felt that I fit right in with the residents. I was also incredibly impressed with the hospital’s wide catchment area and patient diversity. I have loved my time at UMass, I am proud to have developed into a confident physician. I am interested in pursuing a career in hematology/oncology, and I know my strong internal medicine background will be asset to my future career. When I am not in the hospital, you will find me rooting on my Pittsburgh sports teams in enemy territory!
I was born in Brazil, and moved to Everett, MA before starting high school. I have proudly called Massachusetts home since then! I attended Boston University for college and UMass for Medical School. During my clinical years in medical school, I encountered a welcoming environment that fostered curiosity, collegiality, and learning, while embracing diversity of both patients and faculty. Therefore I looked forward to completing my residency training at UMass. During the past three years, I came across fascinating pathology, inspiring teachers, and life-long friends. I am confident that the training I received has prepared me to pursue a career in Hospital Medicine. When I am not in the hospital, you will find me snuggling at home with my baby daughter!
I was born in Albania, and moved to Everett, MA during high school. It was an interesting transition going from valedictorian in Albania to not speaking English and taking basic classes as a sophomore! It all ended well, and I attended Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences majoring in premedical sciences, and then UMass for Medical School. After witnessing the high-quality training UMass residents receive during medical school, I decided that I wanted to follow in the same footsteps. I was looking for a strong program with emphasis on education and training, where I would get to see a variety of patients and disease processes. I was also looking for a friendly and supportive residency, and UMass absolutely fulfilled my expectations. After working hard for 3 years, I feel prepared to handle almost anything. Very happy that I chose UMass to shape me into the kind of doctor that I want to be! I plan to pursue a career in Hospital Medicine. When I am not in the hospital, you will find me hanging around with my family!