Meet Dr. Adam Koraym, chief resident

Adam Koraym, MD

Bridges Family Endowed Primary Care Chief Resident
Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

What does being a chief resident mean to you?
To me, being a chief is a true privilege. This program has played such a huge role in shaping who I am as a physician, so getting to give back to the program in this way is incredibly meaningful. 

It’s also a bit surreal. I remember looking up to my chiefs, relying on them for advice, support, and guidance during some of the toughest (and best) moments of residency. Now I get to pay that forward. 

I see being a chief is a blend of being a near-peer mentor (since I literally just graduated), part responding to emails regarding scheduling, but most meaningfully to me is being a consistent support for the residents. I’ve always loved teaching and medical education, and this year gives me the chance to lean into that more intentionally. I’m also starting to better understand the administrative side of medicine that goes into making a residency program function well. It’s been humbling and eye-opening.

What are you most looking forward to as chief?
I’m really excited to work with my co-chiefs, we’ve already got a great dynamic and I think we’ll make a strong team. I’m especially looking forward to working with the new interns. There’s something so special about those first few months of residency, watching interns grow more confident, helping normalize how overwhelming it can feel at first, and celebrating the little victories with them.

I’m also thrilled to have some time and space to work on my medical education projects this year. Residency was sometimes a bit too busy to dive deep into some of the teaching and curriculum ideas I had, so having a dedicated year to explore that is a rare and valuable opportunity. I think it’s going to be a year full of learning and impact.

For a place that’s known for its cold winters, UW brings an incredible amount of warmth. I feel lucky to have trained here and even luckier to keep growing here in my chief role!

Dr. Koraym

What’s your favorite part of the UW internal medicine residency?
I say this wholeheartedly: the people. From our chair and program directors to the residents, fellows and medical students, this is one of the kindest, most grounded, and collaborative groups I’ve ever been a part of. There’s something really unique about the culture here. Everyone works hard, cares deeply about patients and each other, and doesn’t take themselves too seriously. It makes for a really special training environment.

I’ve made some of my closest friends in this program and have had mentors who’ve gone above and beyond to support me, people I’ve looked up to for years who have taken the time to invest in my career and development. I’ve met former presidents of well renowned national medical societies, only to discover they’re not just brilliant, they’re generous, humble, and genuinely interested in helping residents grow.

For a place that’s known for its cold winters, UW brings an incredible amount of warmth. I feel lucky to have trained here and even luckier to keep growing here in my chief role!