"It was the end of November, so it was snowing and it was really beautiful. I remember, honestly this was one of my favorite interviews because everyone was so kind and loving and warm. I just thought it would be such an amazing place. I loved everybody that I met. It was really unique because I felt like some places tried to intimidate you a little bit, but here everyone was really welcoming. And the mountains, just like, really hit you. When we first got in, I was really shocked just by how enormous they are. It was beautiful." Anna was born in Ukraine, but grew up is the Los Angeles area. She attended UCLA where she combated the intense premed culture while finding her own path to medical school that worked for her. During her time there she participated in competitive swimming and volunteered doing drug outreach and education with the D.O.P.E program. As a California resident, she knew that it would be very competitive applying to medical school programs in the State. As a result, she created a West Coast strategy with a sprinkling of East Coast schools to increase her chances of finding the right program. Approaching the end of her medical school career, Anna reflects on her experiences and the importance of finding a residency program located in a place where you can see yourself being happy and successful. Today, we discuss the how premed culture can be very intense, strategies for applying to medical school programs as a California resident, how one’s vision as a future doctor evolves throughout medical school, and how to pick the right residency program for yourself.