Jacob Hall, MD

Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Hobbies & interests: Skiing, reading, traveling, football and basketball.

Why I chose MCW: After my away rotations in orthopaedic surgery as a medical student, I realized that I wanted a "best of both worlds" experience for my residency. I wanted to train at a large, level 1 academic center in a major city, but I also wanted to train at a place where early operative experience and exposure to private practice were greatly emphasized. I also knew that a tight-knit group of residents was a must-have, and I wanted to be at a place that valued hard work and a commitment to excellence, but not at the expense of camaraderie and fun. Despite the fact that I didn't do an away rotation at MCW, I was absolutely blown away on my interview day, and realized pretty fast that it was an ideal fit for me. I was ecstatic to find out on Match Day that the feeling was mutual, and I haven't looked back since.

What MCW has to offer a candidate: The MCW ortho residency has, in my opinion, a little bit of everything that an applicant would want, which makes it a great choice for a well-rounded candidate searching for a well-balanced program. Between our time at our main campus, the Milwaukee VA, and our community electives as 5th year residents, you get diverse, hands-on operative experience that leaves you well-prepared for any field within orthopaedic surgery. Our faculty clearly care about our residency experience being top-notch, and the Medical College of Wisconsin provides countless resources for education and research. Beyond all that, the MCW ortho culture is one of program-wide friendliness and approachability, which makes me truly grateful to train here.

What I like about living in Milwaukee: Milwaukee is – and I can't emphasize this enough – an absolute hidden gem. It has all the amenities of an enormous city, but with a much more compact and manageable feel. The Lake Michigan coastline is gorgeous and shark-free, traffic is minimal, outdoor activities abound, the Brewers and Bucks are always a fun watch, and the beer and cheese curds are to die for. Top it all off with a friendly, easy-going culture, and I frankly can't ask for much more in a city.