Torrence Tran, MD

Hometown

Oakland, CA

Interests

I'm Torrence Tran, an Oakland native, and currently a 4th year MD/MBA candidate at Tulane University in New Orleans hoping to learn more about UCLA's hybrid county/academic emergency medicine program. My academic interests as they stand now are largely related to social determinants of health through research, community outreach, and system operations. Outside of school, I really enjoy cooking (favorite dish to make currently are noodle soups of Vietnamese, Taiwanese, and Thai varieties), eating out (I've been working on trying all the great fried chicken restaurants in New Orleans), and playing/watching basketball (Go Warriors!).

Instagram: @torrencetran

Why did you choose UCLA for Residency?

UCLA was the best of both worlds for me. After going on the interview trail, I knew that wanted a hybrid county and academic experience in order to be a well-rounded physician with multiple career trajectories possible in the future. The number of resources in terms of funding and faculty support for administration, research, and social emergency medicine was why I ranked UCLA #1.

What is your favorite place to visit/thing(s) to do in/memory from living in LA? If you have never lived here before, what are you most excited about?

My favorites places and memories of LA all involve food and the amazing culinary experiences that LA has to offer. LA is home to some of the best Korean BBQ places in America and Quarters Korean BBQ will be the first place I hit up when I move here.

What do you do in your free time? What hobbies do you have? 

I spend a lot of my free time on yelp and instagram looking at food places to try next while simultaneously searching out new hikes to work up an appetite for the new restaurants. I also enjoy watching and playing basketball (go warriors!).

What are your areas of interest within EM or future career plans? 

Administration, research, and social emergency medicine are the three big areas I'm hoping to get involved with. My ideal career would be one that melds the three together to create a better environment for the community I live in and society at large.

Is there any other information you'd like to share with EM applicants? 

EM is a specialty where you really do get to see a large breadth of pathology, but also personalities -- all of which requires a high level of medical knowledge as well as emotional intelligence. The best part of EM for me is that we are on the frontlines and are the first point of contact for a lot of patients. We are often the ones who patients seek out because they have trouble getting in with their PCP or don't know how to navigate the complex healthcare system. If you're willing to be an integral part of a patient's journey through healthcare from when they're the sickest and when they have nowhere else to turn, EM is for you!

Are there any projects or outside extracurricular you are working on?

I am currently working on several research projects surrounding language justice, mental health and wellness, and HCV linkage to care.

What is your go-to song to get pumped up on shift?

I'm a big chill music kind of guy and will always choose a playlist that includes HONNE, Bruno Major, Oh Wonder, or LANY over true pump up music.

Any hidden talent(s)?

I can eat very, very, very spicy foods. I have done several spicy food challenges and can live to tell the tale.

Who would you be if you could be any superhero?

Tom Holland Spiderman because he's quirky, nerdy, and just wants to do good things.

Where would we find you if not in the department (ie. couch, beach, wilderness, climbing, etc.)?

You'll either find me hiking around the LA area, eating food somewhere, or being a vegetable on the couch.

Next vacation stop?

In pre-covid times, Japan was where I was planning on going for my 4th year medical school trip prior to residency.

What is your spirit animal?

Elephant because they are everything I strive to be -- super smart and have an amazing memory.