Amanda Cohen

When I first arrived at University of Maryland School of Medicine, I thought I wanted to pursue primary care.  However, my neurology clerkship gave me a change of heart. I experienced the humanistic qualities of medicine that had previously drawn me towards primary care combined with uniquely captivating facets of neurology. I loved the diagnostic puzzle grounded in the neurological exam and history, the patients and family’s excitement when the patient regains some vital function, learning about the pathophysiology of various neurological conditions during rounds and lecture, and later being able to share my knowledge with the more junior students. Nowhere is the joy of life-long learning more apparent than in neurological research. I highly enjoyed working with Dr. Harrison’s lab on a project to compare methodologies for MRI imaging of meningeal enhancement in multiple sclerosis.

My many positive experiences with supportive residents and faculty at the University of Maryland Medical Center made me confident in my choice to return here for residency.  While I’m still deciding on my subspecialty interests, it was important to me to choose a residency where I would receive a rigorous, well-balanced training in which I would see a wide variety of pathology in addition to the bread-and-butter cases. It was a privilege to help serve the diverse Baltimore community in medical school and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to learn medicine. I also knew that I enjoyed Baltimore’s unique historic charm, food scene, and proximity to beautiful outdoor spaces, so I knew I would be happy living here.