Kian Habashi, MD, PGY-1 Orthopaedic Surgery at UNM Health Sciences

Can you maintain a life as an elite endurance athlete while matching into a highly competitive surgical residency? Join host Deana Golini as she sits down with Kian, an Orthopedic Surgery resident at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, to reveal the unfiltered reality of life as a surgical intern.

Kian discusses his journey from UNLV to ortho residency, breaking down how his background completing Ironmans and 50k ultramarathons provides the core stamina required to push through 110-hour workweeks. He pulls back the curtain on why residency rank lists can change completely after an away rotation, how his own shoulder injury sparked his surgical ambitions, and the clinical adaptations needed when managing trust barriers and social determinants of health in vulnerable populations. Kian delivers a powerful reminder to pre-med and medical students alike: keeping your outside passions alive isn't a distraction from your goals—it is the exact engine that prevents burnout and makes you a better clinician.

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