Dr. Brandia Hayes always knew she wanted a career that would allow her to make a direct impact on patients’ lives while constantly challenging her to grow. During her time at UMHS, her interests evolved from Cardiology to Family Medicine and Surgery before she ultimately discovered the specialty that combined everything she loved most about medicine: Emergency Medicine.
Now preparing to begin her residency training in Emergency Medicine at Valley Health in Las Vegas, Nevada, the UMHS 2026 graduate reflects on the experiences that helped shape her path, from the Fifth Semester program in Maine and clinical rotations to mentorship opportunities and leadership experiences throughout medical school.
In this interview with UMHS Endeavour, Dr. Hayes discusses her journey to medicine, what drew her to Emergency Medicine, the support she received during her training, and the advice she has for current and prospective UMHS students.
Finding her path to medicine
UMHS Endeavour: Please introduce yourself and share your residency program and where you will be training.
I matched into Emergency Medicine at Valley Health in Las Vegas, Nevada, so that’s where I matched and where I’ll be training.
Could you tell us a little about yourself, where you grew up, where you completed your undergraduate studies, and whether you always wanted to become a doctor?
I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. I attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, where I completed a dual degree in dance and self-designed human kinesiology.
I always wanted to become a physician. There was never any doubt in my mind that this was what I wanted to do. However, the pathway to get there was a little more challenging, but also very exciting at the same time.
I think that journey really helped shape me into the person I am today because it taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of staying focused on your goals even when things become difficult.
Dr. Brandia Hayes on vacation in Grand Cayman to celebrate her virtual white coat ceremony. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Brandia Hayes.
Discovering Emergency Medicine
What initially sparked your interest in Emergency Medicine?
Initially, I thought I wanted to pursue Cardiology through Internal Medicine and then complete a Cardiology fellowship. During my post-baccalaureate gap year, I worked with cardiologists to gain exposure, and I really enjoyed that experience.
However, at the beginning of my fourth year, I realized I loved both Family Medicine and General Surgery, so I wanted to expand my experience in hospital medicine. I knew Emergency Medicine would allow me to fulfill interests in both fields.
Emergency Medicine involves hands-on procedures, critical thinking, rapid decision-making, and also aspects of continuity of care. You need to understand patient management, wound care, stabilization, and when to involve specialists or admit somebody to the ICU.
That combination was incredibly exciting to me. After my first few shifts, one of my attendings told a patient that I was going to be an ER doctor, and after that point, I never really looked back.
It fit both my personality and my interests. I enjoy being able to practice many different aspects of medicine every day, and I really enjoy the variety and unpredictability that comes with Emergency Medicine.
Clinical rotations and hands-on experience
How did your clinical rotations at UMHS help shape your decision to pursue Emergency Medicine?
After my first Emergency Medicine rotation month, I was completely sold on the specialty.
One of the biggest influences for me was that the faculty allowed me to take ownership of my patients. I was able not only to present cases to attendings, but also to participate in the treatment planning process.
They guided me through areas where I could improve while still encouraging my training and independence. That balance was really important because it allowed me to gain confidence while continuing to learn.
During my rotations at McLaren Oakland and McLaren Macomb, the residents and fellows — especially the Emergency Medicine residents at Oakland — were incredibly encouraging.
They gave me leadership opportunities such as wound closures, direct presentations to attendings, and educational presentations. I actually had the opportunity to complete three presentations during my rotations.
Those experiences helped me realize how much I enjoyed both the clinical side of Emergency Medicine and the team environment within the Emergency Department.
Support and mentorship during rotations
UMHS Endeavour: What stood out most to you about the support you received during rotations?
The support system was really encouraging overall. The faculty and residents created an environment where students could actively participate in patient care while still learning in a supportive setting.
I never felt like I was simply observing from the sidelines. I truly felt involved in patient care and decision-making while also receiving constructive feedback that helped me continue improving.
That combination of mentorship, hands-on opportunities, and guidance really helped solidify my confidence going into Emergency Medicine.
Preparing for residency through Fifth semester
How did your experience at UMHS, especially the Fifth Semester program, prepare you for residency?
The Fifth Semester was actually one of the biggest transitions for me in applying the basic sciences to clinical medicine. It really served as the perfect bridge between classroom learning and clinical rotations.
I appreciated not only the clinical skills labs that we had, but also the simulated patient experiences each week. Those experiences helped me become more comfortable communicating with patients, presenting cases, and thinking through clinical scenarios in real time.
The first couple of weeks were definitely more challenging because of the time constraints involved with performing physical exams and presenting patient reports to both the patient and the preceptor. However, those experiences really helped me build confidence.
By the time I started clinical rotations, I didn’t feel like I was struggling to figure out a presentation style because I had already developed those skills during Fifth Semester.
It made the transition to the hospital floors much easier and allowed me to focus more on patient care and learning opportunities.
Leadership and teaching opportunities
You also served as a teaching assistant during Fifth Semester. What was that experience like for you?
Being a teaching assistant was a really rewarding experience.
It gave me leadership opportunities and allowed me to further strengthen my communication skills while helping other students navigate the same transition that I had experienced.
I also felt it helped me build stronger relationships with faculty and reinforced my own understanding of clinical concepts because teaching others often helps solidify your own knowledge.
I think opportunities like that are one of the advantages of smaller class sizes because students are able to connect more directly with faculty and become more involved in leadership and mentorship opportunities.
Preparing for residency interviews
How did the Department of Residency & Professional Advising help you prepare for residency interviews and applications?
I decided to do a practice interview, and I worked with Jonathan Timen. It was a great experience because I had a lot of questions that are frequently asked, not only the typical “Why medicine?” questions, but also more in-depth Emergency Medicine-specific questions.
Practicing gave me the opportunity to not only prepare for the interview itself, but also to be myself and formulate my answers in a way that would resonate with residency training programs.
It made it a lot easier to receive feedback about why certain responses worked and why others didn’t necessarily work as well.
Overall, it enabled me to be more confident during interview season and ultimately helped me obtain the residency program I hoped to achieve.
Matching at Valley Health
What did Matching into Emergency Medicine at Valley Health in Las Vegas mean to you?
It meant a lot to me because it validated all of the hard work, sacrifices, and dedication that went into this journey.
Matching into Emergency Medicine was always my goal once I realized this specialty was the right fit for me, and being able to match into a program where I feel excited to train and continue growing as a physician is incredibly rewarding.
I’m really looking forward to learning from experienced physicians, continuing to develop my clinical skills, and caring for diverse patient populations.
Excerpt from Brainwaves choreographed by Brandia Hayes and Nia Gayle in 2018 with Xclaim Dance Company. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Brandia Hayes.
Reflecting on the journey
Looking back on your medical school journey, what are you most proud of?
I think I’m most proud of continuing to push forward even during difficult moments.
Medical school is challenging, and there are definitely moments where you question yourself or face obstacles, but I’m proud that I continued trusting the process and staying focused on my goals.
I’m also proud of the relationships and mentorships I built along the way because those connections really helped support me throughout the journey.
Advice for current and prospective students
Do you have any advice for current or prospective UMHS students?
I would definitely say don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.
If you’re passionate about surgery, gynecology, Emergency Medicine, or any competitive specialty, don’t be afraid to reach out and say, “I’m interested in this, and I really want to pursue it.”
Take advantage of every opportunity available to you, whether that means leadership roles, presentations, mentorship opportunities, or additional clinical experiences.
I also encourage students to take advantage of the smaller class sizes and the faculty at UMHS because they have a wealth of knowledge and are more than willing to help you as much as you put into it.
The more effort and initiative you show, the more opportunities you can create for yourself.
At the end of the day, trust yourself, trust your preparation, and remember that everyone’s journey into medicine looks different.
Contact Dr. Brandia Hayes at bhayes@umhs-sk.net
(Top photo). Photo courtesy of Dr. Brandia Hayes.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at UMHS and editor of the UMHS Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about UMHS students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and UMHS research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
