Jessica (Jess) Konolige, MDLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Hometown:
Philadelphia, PA

Schooling:
Undergrad: Georgetown University
Medical School: Temple University

Favorite things about residency at CHoR:
Our 2 week tandem scheduling system is by far my favorite thing about being a resident at VCU. It really does help to prevent burnout and allows me to get through those rotations I'm not the most fond of so much easier. The light at the end of the tunnel is always felt on the first day.
Also, although I know it is cliche to say, I am also just going to plug the people - from my co-residents, fellows/attendings, and even support staff. I've only been in this city for 1.5 years but I do feel like I have not only mentors to look to for guidance but also friends to celebrate the good times and pull you through the difficult times.

Favorite things to do and eat in Richmond / Hobbies:
My favorite thing about Richmond is how diverse this city is. One hour you can be on Belle isle, taking a hike and feel like you are in the middle of the woods then the next hour you can be in the middle of Scott's Addition brewery hopping.
The food here is also surprisingly good. Coming from a bigger city, I ~assumed~ RVA would have ok food (maybe I was a little bit of a food snob) but, wow, I still get impressed but not only the quality of some of the restaurants/bakeries/coffee shops but also the wide variety of cuisines.

Fun fact about me:
I have an insane sweet tooth - so much so that both my pets, which I got during Covid, are named after chocolate desserts. Mousse is a pittie mix and Oreo is a sassy domestic short hair cat. This is also another plug for the bakeries here in RVA - s/o Shindigyz