Meet Our Residents

Hello! Welcome to Charlottesville and UVA Pediatrics! My name is Andrew Burns, and I am so excited to talk to you about why I love this program. I am originally from Annandale, Virginia (a part of the infamous “NOVA” region). I then studied Neuroscience and Public Health at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA, and went to medical school at UVA. I always had a love of Pediatrics, but what most surprised me during my time in medical school was how incredibly welcoming and supportive the Pediatrics Department truly is at UVA. Even as a student, I felt embraced and included by the residents who wanted nothing more than for me to grow, learn, and succeed. They taught me, set me up for success, and helped me be the best I could be. Now, I am grateful to call the Pediatrics Residency Program my family and honored to be one of the chief residents this year. I am excited to continue to grow even more alongside our talented residents, bright fellows, and kind attendings. I am currently applying for a fellowship in developmental-behavioral pediatrics. I participated in the Primary Care Track and Home Visit Program as a resident. I am also interested in medical education and quality improvement.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy playing board games, reading murder mysteries, paddle boarding at my parents’ lake house, and spending time with my tabby cats, Kiara and Stella. I love the incredible community of Charlottesville, where you can explore the mountains on hiking/running trails, enjoy a nice glass of wine at a local vineyard, and feast at one of the many delicious restaurants in the area. There’s something for everyone here, and I hope you fall in love with this area and program like I have. Best of luck on your journey to residency, and I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the application process, UVA Pediatrics, or Charlottesville in general!

Born and raised in upstate New York, I’ve slowly made my way south and somehow ended up calling Charlottesville home (still a shocker to my inner New Yorker). I’m currently the Chief Resident in Pediatrics at UVA, and I’m gearing up for a Pediatric GI fellowship- excited is an understatement!

My journey here has been a winding but fun one. I did undergrad at Oberlin College in Ohio, where I double-majored in biology and Middle Eastern history. I spent my junior year abroad geeking out over different healthcare systems, then made a pit stop in North Carolina for research before landing at UVA for med school.

From the beginning, I knew I wanted to work with kids. I bounced between child psych and pediatrics for a while, but I realized I didn’t have to choose- pediatrics lets me do both! Mental health is such a huge part of pediatric care, and I love the variety of patients and diagnoses we see daily.

Along the way, I also developed a passion for advocacy- especially around equitable access to care and supporting families navigating complex medical systems. Whether it’s at the bedside or in the community, I love working to make healthcare more inclusive, understandable, and compassionate.

When it came time to choose a residency, I knew I wanted a tight-knit, supportive program with a diverse patient population and strong specialty exposure. Spoiler alert: I never found anywhere that checked all the boxes like UVA. As a med student here, I saw firsthand the incredible teaching, the camaraderie among residents, and the high-quality care- both routine and rare. So, staying for residency (and now Chief year!) was a pretty easy decision.

Outside the hospital, I love Charlottesville’s year-round farmers market, the local wineries, and our phenomenal pastry scene. My sidekick Rusty (a 65 lb pitbull who has zero concept of personal space) is usually right there with me. Suffice it to say, Charlottesville has totally won me over.

Finding the right residency for you is an exciting but overwhelming time. If you have questions about our program, Charlottesville, or anything in between- please reach out! I’d love to connect.