In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we feature Sean Bowden, MD, a first-year, categorical Internal Medicine resident. We recently caught up with Dr. Bowden to learn more about his clinical and research interests, what makes UMass Chan a great place for residency, and more!  

Hometown?
Roseburg, Oregon 

What are your clinical and research interests?
Clinically, I am interested in any zebras  (rare diseases or conditions) and goals of care conversations, which feeds into my research interests in hematologic and oncologic diseases. 

Are you involved in any other groups or activities at UMass Chan that you’d like to highlight?
I’m a member of our fantastic Wellness Committee and the Sepsis SAFER committee. The former aims to continually improve existing resources and develop new ones. The latter highlights systemic improvements to reduce the mortality from sepsis. 

What makes UMass Chan a great place for your residency?
Coming from the West Coast, I was worried professionals on the East Coast would be militaristic and cold by comparison. Much to my surprise, the culture at UMass Chan is warm and welcoming. Before matriculating, I noticed many of my co-interns stayed at UMass Chan and now I know why.  

Favorite hobbies?
My current hobbies include playing video games with my partner, hiking with our dog, creative writing, and working on our house. 

Favorite thing to do in Worcester/Worcester area?
I love discovering new places to explore and dine out at. Worcester has a surprising number of hidden hikes within the city too. Combine that with multiple breweries and you’ve laid out my plans for the summer. 

What is your go-to board game?
Not necessarily a board game, but “Wiki Game,” or the Wikipedia randomizer game, is my go-to. Anybody can play it, the rules are simple, and it’s fun while being educational.  

Favorite holiday?
Halloween. This was potentially the easiest answer for residency thus far. Life, especially with current national events, can be scary enough. I always welcome the escape into fictional tales of horror and mysticism.  

What song/artist do you hope comes on first when you press random play on your playlist?
Especially with Spring and Summer around the corner, I’ll be listening to a lot more Beach House and Yumi Zouma.