Leila Javidi is one of those magical people whose warmth, candor and sense of humor put almost anyone immediately at ease. In addition to being incredibly kind, caring and compassionate, Leila also happens to be a total badass when it comes to crushing her USMLEs.

Her focus, determination, and mastery of the exams’ subjects helped her earn top scores, but all of the above traits are what make Leila such an effective and encouraging tutor. Leila cares deeply about empowering her students to succeed, and she is yet another bright, shining star of a doctor and tutor on our staff. (And she even contributes to our blog!) Here’s Leila:

Where did you go to medical school?

Saint George’s University, Grenada West Indes. (Pronounced GrenAYYYda , in case you were wondering!)

Where are you doing your residency and in what specialty?

I will be doing Family Medicine, I just made my Rank Order List and I don’t want to jinx my top choice . Find me on March 18th and ask me!

What are your career plans after residency?

I would love to teach, be a Faculty member in a Residency Program, and work closely with Hospital Administration to make BIG changes in our healthcare system!

What accomplishment in your medical career are you most proud of?

It felt truly amazing going from a medical school applicant with NO interviews (except at SGU) to feeling like the Belle of the Ball at some of my Residency Interviews. We all work so hard, it is nice to be recognized for this!

Do you do any research? Any publications?

My favorite area of research is Dissemination and Implementation Science: The study of how to implement the findings of studies! Right now I am working on a paper about Evidence Practice Gaps in Breast Cancer screening. In the past I have been published with the Department of International Development in the UK , NASA Tech Briefs, and the American Journal for Geriatric Psychiatry.

What brought you to Med School Tutors? Why did you choose to be a tutor?

I was a student working with MST, myself, before joining the tutor ranks. I remember doing a lot of research trying to find a company that would fit MY needs for Step 1 preparation, and when I called MST, it was just what I was looking for Thanks to them, I ended up doing exceptionally well on my exams, and when offered an opportunity to “try out for the team,” I jumped on it. I love tutoring because it keeps me on top of my game, allows me to meet incredible students, fellow tutors and other MST team members, and of course it helps me pay my exorbitant NYC rent!

What is one piece of advice you would give to students as they are finishing interview season?

I’m at this point now, and I would say that I constantly am telling myself: “You aren’t out of the woods yet. Get working on your letters of intent!”

What is the most awkward patient encounter you have ever had?

One of the most awkward encounters I have ever had as a Medical Student is when I spent 30 minutes getting to know, examining, taking history from the WRONG patient in the E.D. As soon as I realized it was the patient in the OTHER bed, I didn’t know what to do so I kept going and then had to awkwardly stop when a Resident from another team said “Who are YOU? I’m sure everyone was very confused. I just kept shaking my head and shrugging my shoulders “I’m so sorry.” Then I awkwardly backed away from the patient and immediately had to start examining the patient in the next bed.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

Chips and salsa! Good FRESH salsa. (And the tortilla chips have to be warm.)

What is the most exciting place you have ever traveled?

When I picked up and moved to Grenada for 3.5 years, it was BY FAR the most exciting travel experience ever. Life suddenly became so different. I loved it.

If you weren’t a doctor, what would you do?

I would love to be a comedy writer on a show. I don’t want to be famous, nor do I want to act. But I would LOVE to just sit around cracking jokes with a big table of funny people in a writers room!

What do you like to do outside of medicine?

RESEARCH. Just kidding. I’m a pop culture junkie. I love watching all kinds of shows. I am really into board games, and can be quite competitive. I love to sleep in, go out to dinner, hang out with friends and family. I am obsessed with my cat, Herm. Oh, and I guess I like spending time with my boyfriend Mitch, too ;).