Students from the class of 2022 are celebrating the next step in their professional journey. Here they share what has inspired them along the way and what advice they would give to new students.
Where did you match?Beaumont Health in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Family medicine! As I continued throughout medical school clinicals in third year, I found I enjoyed almost every one of my rotations equally with a common theme emerging: My desire for continuity of care. Overall, I particularly enjoyed working with a variety of ages, from newborns on the well-baby pediatric service, to 100-year-old patients on my geriatric rotation. I was happy to find that family medicine cares for a spectrum of patient populations, a variety of pathologies and enables a lasting patient-clinician bond. With a career in family medicine, I aim to enthusiastically guide preventive care and assist my patients in being the healthiest versions of themselves that they can be.
Match week was filled with a whirlwind of emotions. I was happy, relieved and excited when I found out that I matched at my top residency program. My classmates and I worked so hard to get to this pivotal moment. I also had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Thanks to the support of family, friends, DIMER community and mentors in my home bases of Delaware and Pennsylvania, I was set up for success. I am looking forward to growing outside my comfort zone in residency, adventuring and exploring a new state with my partner, and being a part of a wonderful teaching institution that offers excellent training in family medicine and osteopathic principles.
I was always interested in science growing up. At five years old I would search the weather channel at 5:30 a.m. and dream of meteorology. I would watch the discovery and science channels and had admiration for medical doctors and veterinarians.
However, growing up amongst a family of creatives and artists, going into a scientific field was outside the norm. It wasn't until high school, when I experienced a leg injury requiring multiple surgeries, that my world opened up to the fields of physical therapy, sports medicine and primary care.
In college I began studying health science but, with my background, I also had an urge to explore art and humanities. I thought I had to choose between these passions. I graduated from undergrad at the University of Delaware with a dual degree in Art Conservation and Art History. I explored several fields before circling around and realizing medicine was exactly what I wanted to pursue. I discovered that there is a way to fulfill my love for science, art, health and helping people, through studying medicine. I could hone my skills to heal and to empathize with patients' stories. I pursued osteopathic medical school with a desire to learn osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT). I was drawn to the similarities with physical therapy and the hands-on approach to medicine while still being able to care for a patient's entire health as a physician.
I resonate with those that say a career in medicine is like a “calling.” There was no other path that would satisfy my intellectual curiosity and the core of my personality as much as a career in medicine.
First, work hard and study hard, but don't neglect taking care of your overall well being. Set up a realistic schedule for yourself and then adjust your checklists as you discover how long it takes for you to learn topics. Getting sufficient sleep, exercising, eating right and staying connected with loved ones are just as important (arguably more important) than that extra hour of study time. Giving yourself compassion will allow you to absorb information much better in the long run.
Second, find a study buddy that you don't feel judged or competitive with. This will be someone that you can talk about the information you are learning. Aim to meet with them at least once a week to talk over topics that you are both challenged by. This will help you solidify information and make you feel much saner than being in solitude. It will remind you of your humanity and overall will make med school a lot more enjoyable! And who knows, maybe these people will be lifelong friends as well as colleagues.
Next, if you're struggling with anatomy, go to the lab and spend time there quizzing, being hands-on, and studying the structures with classmates! Your grades will improve drastically if you do this with a purpose. If you're having a tough time with another topic or anything else along the way, reach out and ask for help from the school. There are resources and people there to support you if you ask for it.
Lastly, don't compare your journey in medical school to anyone else's. What's right for someone else may not be right for you. When overwhelmed by a sense of competition in medical school, a friend and I would remind each other to “stay in our own lane” and focus on what is the right path for ourselves. By the end of the four years, you will find yourself developing in the right direction if you trust yourself to do so.
Ms. Mellow was a part of the Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research (DIMER) scholarship program during her time at PCOM. Created in 1969 as an alternative to a state-supported medical school, DIMER provides an opportunity for Delaware residents to obtain a high-quality medical education.
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