NEPA Vital Signs - Winter 2019 Spring 2020 - 8

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From Texas to Pennsylvania

Two Doctors' Concurrent Journeys into Residency and Military Service
Allyson Matthys, D.O., and
Vikaash Persad, D.O., never met
as kids even though they grew up within
minutes of each other outside Austin,
Texas. They didn't even get to know one
another when they graduated in the same
class with twin degrees in osteopathic
medicine from the same medical school.

It wasn't until the pair crossed paths in
Scranton as interns in The Wright Center
for Graduate Medical Education's family medicine residency in 2017 that they
finally were introduced and realized how
parallel their lives and choices have been
up to that point.
"I don't know if we could appreciate the
one-in-a-million chance that we'd end up
here together," Dr. Persad admitted.
"It's almost incomprehensible, all the
things that had to align for it to happen
that way," Dr. Matthys agreed.

When the two aren't watching their beloved Dallas Cowboys,
searching for local, Texas-quality barbecue or traveling
together, they're chatting about the day-to-day highs and lows
of their unintentionally aligned military and medical careers.

Now in their third and final year of
residency, both have been peer-elected to
serve as two of the three chief residents
in the regional family medicine program.
This leadership role gives them a chance
"I was proud. He could have picked any- pressure, it's been worth it to make their
to counsel and mentor residents while also one, so I felt honored," Dr. Matthys said way through it together.
working with upper administration.
of the ceremony.
"You're on the cutting edge and affect"We complement each other, and I
When the two aren't watching their ing change when you spend time in such a
couldn't see myself doing this without beloved Dallas Cowboys, searching for variety of hospitals, clinics and specialists'
him," Dr. Matthys said. "I respect him as a local, Texas-quality barbecue or trav- offices. Every day is different and we've
leader and a friend. We talk every decision eling together, they're chatting about honed our ability to just roll with it," Dr.
out and have almost telepathy."
the day-to-day highs and lows of their Matthys said. "The personal growth with
unintentionally aligned military and Vikaash has made any of the bad worth it."
"We're two sides of the same coin," medical careers.
Dr. Persad added. "We're a package deal
"Everything we learn here will benefit us
because we work better together and
Learning in a community-based envi- in the future," Dr. Persad added. "It helps
are a great team."
ronment has enriched the experience with our military careers and also with how
of serving as chief residents for both we practice medicine."
Their bond was reinforced when Dr. Mat- doctors, they said, as The Wright Center
thys, who enlisted in the Army in 2018 and for Graduate Medical Education's conPATRICE WILDING, Freelance
is currently a captain and commissioned sortium approach allows each to better
Journalist
officer, issued the oath to Dr. Persad in June understand versatility, diversity and
2019, officially swearing him into the Air diplomacy. And while their ranks have
Force as a commissioned officer (captain). meant more responsibility and added
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NEPA Vital Signs - Winter 2019 Spring 2020

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