I Held My Residency Contract on Graduation Day

Dr. Dharav Patel, Resident (Class of 2025)

My name is Dr. Dharav Patel, and I am a proud graduate of Avalon University’s MD program, Class of 2025.

My journey with Avalon began during a deeply difficult time. After losing my father during the COVID pandemic, I was looking to transfer to a medical school that was affordable and fit my budget. As a student from Toronto, transferring to Avalon was exactly what I needed.

The clinical experience I received was truly outstanding. Our rotations were incredibly hands-on—I still vividly remember the first time I actually laid hands on the bowels during surgery! I rotated across all our clinical sites, including a memorable time in West Virginia where I attended surgical rotations 24/7 during on-call shifts. What stood out the most was that we were given the autonomy of a resident’s rights from the start. While it was initially a challenge to be the only medical student during rotations without peers to measure my progress against, that one-on-one time with my preceptors became a massive advantage. I received continuous mentorship and immediate feedback, which drastically steepened my learning curve and pushed me to exceed my preceptors’ expectations.

Medical education is immensely tough, but the administration at Avalon University truly understands that. Whenever I faced a personal, financial, or academic hurdle, they met it head-on with a tailored, personalized approach—fighting alongside me rather than against me.

Thanks to this incredible support and rigorous training, I secured a residency program before I even graduated; I literally held my residency contract in my hand on graduation day. That milestone alone is proof enough of the program’s quality, and it is the reason I would confidently recommend Avalon University to anyone seeking a medical career—even my own family members