Growing up and working in Marksville, Louisiana, I saw the struggle and frustration of the limited access to healthcare, as more physicians in my area stopped taking new patients or stopped taking Medicaid. Seeing VCOM's mission statement include community care and rural medicine demonstrates that these underserved communities are a priority and not an afterthought.
Who or what has inspired you while at VCOM?
The faculty and students are my constant source of inspiration. The faculty celebrate our successes but also provides feedback and support when we stumble. The student body is a community and acts as an immediate resource when you need a quick laugh or an ear to listen to problems.
How has the VCOM mission-inspired you as a medical student?
The VCOM mission is partially why I chose VCOM for my medical education. Growing up in rural Louisiana, I understood some of the struggles of decreased access to care and the downstream effects. VCOM has taken a magnifying glass to these issues, elucidating how they affect my community and the world. VCOM has also shown me that there are ways I can mitigate these disparities, which motivates me to play an active role in impacting communities and creating change.
Who or what inspired you to study medicine?
I was inspired to pursue medicine as a career through high school and college programs offered by the Central Louisiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC). AHEC exposed me to the reality of medicine in the clinical setting and the impact of medicine in communities, especially when these communities are underserved. My grandmother also became a late source of inspiration to continue pursuing medicine. She was diagnosed with colon cancer toward the end of her life, and her disease took a four-month debilitating course, impacting her and my family. Learning that she never had a colonoscopy elevated the importance of preventive screenings and patient education as a priority.
Why did you choose VCOM?
I chose VCOM for its mission statement and my experience during my interview. Growing up and working in Marksville, Louisiana, I saw the struggle and frustration of the limited access to healthcare, as more physicians in my area stopped taking new patients or stopped taking Medicaid. Seeing VCOM's mission statement include community care and rural medicine demonstrates that these underserved communities are a priority and not an afterthought. This mission also aligns with my goal of returning to these small communities and improving access to care. My interview with VCOM was also one of the most welcoming experiences. They were more concerned about having an open and honest conversation instead of creating a pressured and stressful moment.
What do you enjoy most about living in the area around your campus?
I love that our campus was built next to a bayou (quintessential Louisiana). There are also many local bakeries, breweries, and restaurants in the area to patronize and bring classmates to share an important aspect of Louisiana culture (the food).
What do you like to do in your free time?
Despite the rumors, free time in medical school is a thing that happens (sometimes it's forced for your mental health). I like exercising and weight lifting at the campus gym during my free time. During block breaks, I enjoy playing video games and going to escape rooms with classmates.
Are you interested in a particular practice or specialty once you graduate? What has inspired your interest in this specialty?
Right now, I'm interested in internal medicine and medical pediatrics, which is crazy because I never considered pediatrics before medical school. Internal medicine teaches you to investigate and think critically to try to find the core of the problem; internal medicine also opens the door to many specialties, so I have plenty of options from which to choose. Our pediatrics chair inspired me to consider medical pediatrics because of her deep passion for the field and how she explains the impact you can have on a child's health from such an early age. Additionally, my friend from undergrad is a medical pediatrics resident, and she shares amazing stories about her experiences.