I.M. a Resident/Fellow: Cody B. Jackson, MD, PhD

Cody B. Jackson, MD, PhD
Internal Medicine Residency
Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

In which residency or fellowship program are you currently in?

I’m in Internal Medicine Residency at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR.

Why did you choose internal medicine? If you’re in fellowship, why did you choose that subspecialty?

I chose internal medicine because I’ve always been drawn to investigation. During medical school, while I appreciated the technical precision of other fields, I found myself drawn to the cognitive complexity and the vast breadth of practice that only internal medicine offers. The diverse knowledge base required to be a truly effective internal medicine physician is daunting, but that’s exactly what makes it rewarding. That same breadth also ensures a wide range of opportunities for further diversification of one’s career.

What lesson(s) did you learn in residency or fellowship that will help you for the rest of your career?

Residency is as much a lesson in professional discernment as it is in clinical management. One of the most vital lessons I’ve embraced is the importance of "going where you are appreciated." Medicine is a team sport, and the culture of your environment is of paramount importance. These are a long 3 years, and the challenges of training are compounded when there is an absence of institutional advocacy. I’ve learned that a title doesn’t inherently make someone a mentor; true mentorship requires a genuine investment in a trainee’s success and a willingness to "have their back" when the stakes are high. 

Secondly, I’ve learned that while feedback is a gift, not all of it is equally valuable. In a high-pressure environment, you receive a constant stream of critiques. Learning to filter that noise—identifying which feedback is constructive and rooted in your growth and which is merely a reflection of someone else's stress or insecurity—has been essential. This discernment has allowed me to protect my professional autonomy and focus my growth where it truly matters for my patients and my career.

What are your plans for after residency or fellowship? What factors or advice from mentors contributed to your decision?

This June, I’ll be starting my fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. My decision to pursue this subspecialty was driven by the fast pace and high energy of critical care and the complex application of fundamental physiology to clinical evaluation and treatment. Moreover, pulmonology is a natural home for my interests in respiratory viruses and gene therapy. The advice that resonated most was to "follow the questions that keep you reading late at night." For me, those questions are about the molecular intersections of viral pathology and host response, and I’m eager to explore those further at Penn.

How has being a member of ACP helped you in your professional life? What resources have been most helpful to you?

ACP has been an excellent catalyst for networking and professional exploration, particularly early in my residency when I was still considering multiple subspecialty interests. Beyond the local and regional networking, the annual meetings have been a consistent highlight. Nothing quite matches the energy of the Doctor’s Dilemma® competition, and competing in New Orleans with my co-residents was a defining experience of my residency. These kinds of things remind us that while the work is serious, the community we do it with can be a lot of fun.