How Do You Interview (Dr.) Erin Fuller When You Are Already Close?

By: Daniel McArdle-Jaimes

How do you interview (Dr.) Erin Fuller when you have been a part of her journey from the beginning, middle and to present day? For those of you that didn’t know this already, Erin and I are close.

This is how close we are—we went to college together, we lived together after college and I like to think that I helped convince her to give up her job in pharmaceuticals to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. After all, Erin was naturally gifted in science and it felt like she prepared her entire life to do it. We were 23 or 24 when we had that career planning conversation. Oh, and when I lived in San Francisco, she came to sleep on my couch a few times when she was interviewing for residency positions. But most notably, I had officiated her wedding to her husband Tom Davis (they met in college) less than five years ago. It was on a North Shore beach. To sum it up, it was a low-key, picturesque and somehow I found myself running the show. I’m not trying to throw a jab at Erin, I just wanted to explain the context of our relationship so that you had a better insight on the answers that she provided—essentially it feels like I’m being profiled in this entry as well.  

Anyway, I saw Erin last Christmas at Ward Center (an old high school stomping ground of ours). I was most excited to see her new baby.  At that brunch with Jamie Shore and Lindsay Farias, I announced that I was going to be class representative and that I would need their support. They looked at each other half surprised and half not. Erin was the first to pipe up and said, “Well good. You would be great at that job.” I warned all of them that I would be contacting them soon, and would require their participation. Thankfully, Erin agreed to participate when I emailed her last month, and now I am happy to share with you our summarized interview conversation:

1)     Catch Us Up. What have you been up to over the last 15 years?

I went to the University of San Diego and double majored in biology and chemistry (she graduated with honors). After graduation I worked in pharmaceutical development at a biotech company in San Diego for about two years. I moved back to Honolulu to attend medical school at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa (with Zachary Chinn and Nathan Chinn, class of 2002). I got married after medical school. After an awesome honeymoon in Kauai and the Philippines, I started my intern year in surgery and medicine in Honolulu. Last June I completed my three year dermatology residency in Denver. I recently moved to Stockton, last summer to be closer to Tom’s family and have been working as a dermatologist for Sutter Gould Health. I really enjoy it, and equally enjoy being a mom to my son, Oliver and dog parent for Tako.

2)     What does it meant to you to have strong alumni/school relations? Why is it important?

I credit Mid-Pacific for the success that I have today. When I started at the University of San Diego (USD), I was lucky enough to have 19 credits transfer (I credit my teachers for helping me earn those valuable credits). I was so grateful for that, because that allowed me to focus on other things like working and taking on two majors. 

In addition, I know that my cousins (older alums) Lori (Liberman) Crowley, Sheri Azama, and Marci Awaya) are super active with the school fundraising events now. I admire that. Now that I’m no longer a resident, I have more time and I want to be able to give back to the school.

3)      Which teacher did you most admire and why?

It’s hard to pick one, because there were so many. I would say Ms. Cook and Mrs. Reed. English and history didn’t come naturally to me. I admired both of them because they made class really interesting for me each day. They were good at breaking down the material and presenting it in a way that I could comprehend. It was also one of those classes that I didn’t fall asleep in…and maybe their 

sarcastic remarks helped when picking on my classmates who were falling asleep in class. J

4)     If you were to pick one classmate that you most admired, who would it be and why?

Can’t I pick you?

(No. That’s too easy, pick someone else!)

Noooo. I pick you (Daniel McArdle-Jaimes) because you are the keystone holding my social network in place. You are always good about organizing social things for me. If I didn’t have you in my life, I wouldn’t see our friends regularly. You are really good about staying in touch with me and with everyone else, and I admire that.

5)     If you were going to the 15-year reunion later this year, who would most like to see?

I would most like to see Chelsea Polk. I haven’t seen her in 10+ years. It would be great to catch up with her and hear firsthand what her journey has been like. I hear she moved from Chicago to New York to Los Angeles.     

6)     What was your favorite high school memory?

 Again, I have to go with you on this one. You driving me mostly (and Lindsay Farias) everywhere because we had no sense of direction—I didn’t know how to get from Ward Center to Ala Moana. You were always driving us wherever we needed to go. We would always meet at Kahala Mall, and you’d take us to where we needed to go. Those were hilarious times and good memories.

I also really enjoyed eating lunch outside with “the gang” that evolved each year—Danny Pereira, Preston Billingsly, Jesse Little (c/o 2000), Lindsay Farias, Jamie Shore, Paul Griffing, Adam Szalonti, Chelsea Polk, Bianca Simonetti (c/o 2002), Lunna Lopes (c/o 2002) and Katie Fujimoto. The things we used to talk about at the lunch table were hilarious. Someone was always bickering, fighting or arguing about something random. I miss those times.

7)     When was the last time you pulled out the yearbook?

I think the last time I pulled out the yearbook was when I was moving from San Diego back to Honolulu, so that was about ten years ago.

8)     Are you planning to come to the reunion this year?

Well when is it? I know it’s this year. I would like to try to come and fly down for it, but try to pick a date that works for me, OK? ;)