Name
Shaina Alleyne, MD
Residency Program
Family Medicine
Program Year
PGY-3
Medical School
Morehouse School of Medicine
Home
Decatur, GA
About
Why did you choose career in family medicine?
Ever since I was a child, I knew that I wanted to be a pediatrician. This love for children propelled me through the years as I progressed throughout the various stages of school as well as throughout my medical career. However, when I got to medical school, I realized that I enjoyed working with a wide variety of patient populations. As much as I loved working with kids, it made me really sad that they would one day no longer be my patient because they would “age out” of pediatrics. I wanted to be able to follow my patients throughout their college years and into young adulthood as well. Being a young adult myself at the time, I really appreciated the ability to return to something (or in this case someone) familiar as I went through the various struggles and changes that come with being a young adult. I wanted to be an anchor of sorts for my (future) patients; Family Medicine is really the only field that would allow me to do just that.
What are some of your fondest memories of medical school?
Medical school was a difficult time full of uncertainty, late nights, and lots of stress. The one thing that I will always appreciate about that time is my classmates. I have many fond memories of staying up ’til the wee hours of the morning trying to digest and cram in 6 hours worth of class materials into two. I had classmates that created entire lesson plans with accompanying practice questions for me, just to help me pass my tests. We shared laughter in the good times and supported each other through the bad ones; I will forever cherish those memories as well as those bonds.
What drew you to pursue the Family Medicine residency program with NGMC?
I knew I wanted to stay in Georgia so that I could be close to my family. Gainesville seemed like the perfect fit being just an hour away from Atlanta. I figured that I would still be able to see my friends on breaks and spend holidays with my family when I was off. Plus, Gainesville is BEAUTIFUL!!! There are so many parks with large lakes and beautiful mountain views within a short distance of the hospital. Perhaps the best part of this program is the people. From our program directors all the way down to my fellow residents I can honestly say that it was such a pleasure to meet everyone on interview day. Turns out – they were even better in person! The attendings all seemed kind/approachable during the interview process and now I can confirm that they truly are. My upper levels are knowledgeable and many of them are really great teachers as well. The residents also all looked happy, which was great to see since they had all been there for a while. All in all it seemed like it would be a great fit.
What were your favorite clubs/activities in high school? My favorite club in high school was the DDR club, of which I was a co-founder. DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) is a “dancing” game that uses a large mat instead of a handheld controller on which you stand and press various buttons with your feet. It got pretty competitive at times but it really was a lot of fun. I also thoroughly enjoyed learning how to crochet with my Spanish teacher in twelfth grade. I started a blanket that was supposed to be on my bed for college. but unfortunately I still haven’t finished it – maybe I will by the time I am done with residency!
What are your hobbies? Playing the piano (Love Song by Sara Bareilles is my greatest feat to date), writing songs/ making music, crocheting, traveling, painting, jigsaw puzzles and making natural body butters.