Born, raised, and educated in Michigan, Dr. Grant Young finally left the Great Lakes State to pursue residency here at Vanderbilt, where he was attracted by the collegial, welcoming environment. After residency, he hopes to return to his home state to expand access to specialized neurological care there. In his free time, you’ll find Dr. Young exploring Middle Tennessee on his motorcycle, walking his cat, or adding his own embroidery work to his clothing.
Tell us about your background and how your path led to medicine.
I grew up in Michigan and lived there pretty much my whole life. Coming to Nashville for residency has been my first time moving outside the state. Prior to that I attended Michigan State University for medical school and University of Michigan for undergrad. I spent a couple years doing radiation oncology research after undergrad before I realized that I did not want to do that the rest of my life and decided to go to medical school. I have a number of family members with neurological problems like depression and Parkinson’s disease, so that got me interested in neurology and eventually movement disorders.
What attracted you to Vanderbilt for residency?
I was looking for something a little bit different than what I was experiencing in Michigan. I really enjoyed my interviews; people seemed nice and down to earth, very welcoming, and seemed to have other things going on besides their work. My wife also wanted to try living somewhere a little bit warmer, so that was a big plus for her.
What have been some of the highlights of residency so far?
The people have been the biggest thing. All of my attendings have been very friendly. It’s also been cool to have senior residents come back and be attendings. There is really a team atmosphere. At first I thought I would like inpatient work, but I’ve discovered I prefer outpatient. I decided I wanted to pursue movement disorders because I enjoy developing long-term relationships with patients. Seeing patients in the hospital, then following them and seeing them recover has been very rewarding.
What about challenges? What helps you face the obstacles?
The time commitment of residency is pretty steep. Having a very supportive wife and family has been very helpful for that, as well as having a good coresident group. People are always happy to trade shifts with you to help you get days off to be present for other things that are important for you. Enjoying the people you work with is important, especially when you’re spending so much time together. It’s hard to get a feel for people when you interview virtually, so it’s nice when the first impressions pan out.
Who have been some important mentors for you along the way?
Someone who encouraged me a lot is Dr. Joe Jenowick. He’s a radiologist and one of my dad’s close friends. Also my parents. My dad is a physician, and my mom has always encouraged me to do whatever I want. In residency, Dr. Andrew Giritharan has been a great help. I’ve done research with Dr. David Isaacs, seeing atypical uses of DBS [deep-brain stimulation], which has got me thinking about different ways to use that.
What are your plans after residency?
I will be going to the University of Michigan for a Movement Disorders fellowship. After fellowship, I hope to move back up to Northern Michigan to expand access to movement disorders and start a DBS program. There you have to drive 3-9 hours to find a provider who can do DBS, so they definitely have a need there.
How do you like to spend a free weekend?
I like riding motorcycles with my wife. We have a cat I enjoy taking outside for walks. Recently I've gotten into embroidery. I like clothing a lot, and I decided I wanted them to be embroidered, so I figured I would do it myself!
Do you have any favorite Nashville hangouts?
We really like Miel for dinner. We enjoy going to shows especially at The Basement or the Ryman. We like to drive down to Lieper’s Fork on the Natchez Trace trail too.
Do you have any fun facts about yourself that might surprise your coresidents?
One of my favorite memories from residency so far is when Tom Davis had to push start me on my motorcycle at Loveless when my battery died.
