When I was 12 years old, my aunt, Dr. Susan Jones, an internal medicine doctor, allowed me to spend the summer filing papers and stocking the medicine cabinet at her doctor's office. The amount of empathy and compassion my aunt showed for her patients was something I had not experienced before. She treated her patients like family, and to them, she was a member of their families. She gave her all to her patients day in and day out. It was that summer when I knew I wanted to study medicine.
Who or what has inspired you while at VCOM?
So much has inspired me while at VCOM. First, I am inspired by my classmates, especially those I have formed an everlasting lasting relationship with. We have endured, preserved, we made it through some storms, and most of all, we have laughed throughout this journey. I am so glad that we have each other to lean on. All of those who have come before me, especially the Class of 2021 and Class of 2022, motivate me daily. I look at their success and see where I will be in the next few years. They are awesome role models because I know that if they were successful and made it, so will I. My family also have inspired me. Since starting at VCOM, my family has accomplished many of their own goals, of which I am extremely proud. Most importantly, I am truly inspired by myself. I have worked so hard to get here, and I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far. I am inspired by my perseverance, my work ethic, and my determination to be the best student doctor I can be.
How has the VCOM mission-inspired you as a medical student?
One of the main reasons I decided to go into medicine is because I watched the people from my community lose trust in the medical community. I watched how people of color and other underserved minority populations received subpar medical treatment. Working in the ER, I was exposed to patients of many different demographics, and I could see the health care disparities. I witnessed first-hand how easy it was for some medical professionals to inadequately treat some patients while very adequately treating others with the same conditions. VCOM's mission is to prepare globally-minded, community-focused physicians to meet the needs of rural and medically underserved populations and promote research to improve human health. Under the mission statement, VCOM has five goals: 1. To provide education in the art and science to osteopathic medicine. 2. To recruit and graduate students who will address health care disparities, including those related to rural locations, minority populations, poverty status, and primary care. 3. To generate, promote, and disseminate medical knowledge in disease prevention, chronic disease management, community health, and public health practices through Appalachian and International outreach programs. 4. To advance scientific research knowledge through medical research. 5. To serve as an advocate of osteopathic medicine, rural health, mission medicine, and affordable, accessible healthcare for the medically underserved. VCOM's goals to graduate students who will address health care disparities, including those related to poverty status, rural locations, and primary care, and their commitment to serve the minority populations and medically underserved have inspired me as a medical student. I want to become a physician because I want to be part of the solution. I want everyone to achieve equality, and for equality to be achieved, there must first be equity. Understanding who I will be serving is of utmost importance to me. Tackling the health care disparities that have plagued this country for years is no small/easy task; however, the more students who strive to achieve these goals set forth by VCOM, the more significant our impact who/within the medical community will be.
Who or what inspired you to study medicine?
When I was 12 years old, my aunt, Dr. Susan Jones, an internal medicine doctor, allowed me to spend the summer filing papers and stocking the medicine cabinet at her doctor's office. During some of her patient encounters, she would ask the patients if it was okay for me to come in and observe. While observing the encounters, I became mesmerized by the physician-patient interactions. The amount of empathy and compassion my aunt showed for her patients was something I had not experienced before. She treated her patients like family, and to them, she was a member of their families. She would treat patients who couldn't afford to pay her. Most of her patient population were underrepresented minorities. She gave her all to her patients day in and day out. Her staff enjoyed coming to work every day and they loved working for her. It was that summer when I knew I wanted to study medicine. I wanted to give people the same hope, smile, and compassion my aunt did. In 2015, my aunt had a massive stroke which impaired her ability to continue to practice medicine. Though it was heartbreaking to watch her come to terms that her career was over, I knew that I had to do whatever it took to get accepted into medical school. Even though it took a few attempts, I finally got accepted into VCOM. My aunt and I shared a full circle moment for my white coat ceremony in 2019. She had the illustrious honor of cloaking me with my very first white coat of my medical career.
Why did you choose VCOM?
I always tell everyone that VCOM chose me. Initially, I was against getting a master's degree because I thought it was a waste of time and money. I knew I was not going to get any use of it. Oh, how wrong was I! Doing the Bluefield/VCOM Masters of Arts program has changed my life forever. It taught me so much about myself personally and professionally. It allowed me to take a leap of faith, and I am so glad I did. I learned skills and gained resources that transitioned me to life as a medical student. I didn't know I needed this degree, but God knew I did. VCOM has given me the opportunity to make my childhood dream come true.
What do you enjoy most about living in the area around your campus?
I enjoy the close proximity of everything in Auburn. It is a great college town with very friendly people. My favorite time of year is SEC Football season. Being able to attend Auburn football games has been a highlight of my time here at Auburn. Although I am an LSU tiger fan at heart, I have found myself switching my purple/gold for orange/blue. They're both tigers, so why not! Auburn Recreation Center is awesome. As VCOM students, we have access to utilize their facilities, and I enjoy working out there when I have the time.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I love to sleep. I definitely like to catch up on my rest that I lost while busy with school. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends because they help keep me grounded. I love to cook my favorite Louisiana dishes as well as trying new recipes. I binge-watch Netflix and my favorite TV shows. I enjoy learning new things not associated with school. But most of all, in my free time, I enjoy being still.
Are you interested in a particular practice or specialty once you graduate? What has inspired your interest in this specialty?
Initially, when I decided to go into medicine, I wanted to be an anesthesiologist. At 12 years old, I thought it was very cool to put someone to sleep for surgery and wake them up when the procedure was over. Now, I am more interested in emergency medicine. I worked as an emergency room scribe, and I fell in love. I love the variety of patients with different disease processes you get to see, the fast pace of the ER, and TRAUMA. I have thought about a combined EM/IM with a critical care fellowship because it gives me the ability to work in different hospital areas. Going into my third year of medical school, all of that might change. I might fall in love with something else, so I will go into clinical rotations with an open mind.