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Joshua Torres

Joshua Torres
Campus: Louisiana
Prior School: Harriet. L Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University
Hometown: Parkland, FL

The student body and faculty have consistently chosen to move forward, adjusting along the way. My class is extremely supportive of one another, as we all understand what our grind consists of on a day-to-day basis. I am proud to be a part of the Inaugural Class of VCOM-Louisiana, and I am ecstatic to see the first class of Osteopathic Physicians in Louisiana thrive in the upcoming years.

Who or what has inspired you while at VCOM?
During my time at VCOM, I have been inspired by the resilience of my classmates and faculty that make up the Inaugural class of VCOM-Louisiana. Not only are we the only medical school to start this new season of our lives during a pandemic, but we have pushed and thrived through multiple natural disasters, including snowstorms, hurricanes, and tornados. The student body and faculty have consistently chosen to move forward, adjusting along the way. My class is extremely supportive of one another, as we all understand what our grind consists of on a day-to-day basis. I am proud to be a part of the Inaugural Class of VCOM-Louisiana, and I am ecstatic to see the first class of Osteopathic Physicians in Louisiana thrive in the upcoming years.

How has the VCOM mission-inspired you as a medical student?
The VCOM mission is something that is felt as soon as you walk onto campus. Sitting in the lecture halls, I am surrounded by a diverse class of students, and it inspires me to become more acquainted with new perspectives and cultures so that we can build upon each other and produce the best result for our patients in the future. Soon VCOM will be sending out our community-focused students to help vaccinate the people of Monroe so that we can take steps back to normalcy. This past weekend my research mentor, Dr. Jacob Turnbull, successfully guided me on sharing the research we have worked on about the progression of treatment in hip labral tears at the 2021 American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine Conference. Overall, VCOM's mission is not just a statement but also a daily reminder to be the best student physicians.

Who or what inspired you to study medicine?
My inspiration to study medicine is due to a collection of experiences that have led me to where I am today. My grandfather is a retired psychiatrist who would always share stories with my cousins and me at the dinner table when I was a kid. This motivated me to search for shadowing opportunities in undergrad, leading me to observe some fascinating surgeries like coronary artery bypass grafting, brain surgery, and robotic-assisted surgeries. After graduating college, I spent a month shadowing at the Hospital General de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, where I learned more about other countries' healthcare dynamics while also absorbing the culture that lives outside of the United States. It helped me grasp different cultural viewpoints that impact the physician-patient relationship. When I was looking at where I wanted to gain my medical education, I felt that VCOM could provide a great mix of opportunities while also helping me become the globally-minded physician I aim to be.

Why did you choose VCOM?
I chose VCOM because of the family feeling that I felt on interview day. I had the opportunity to interview with my fiancé. We both loved the small group atmosphere in the interview because it gave us the opportunity to engage with the faculty and administration. After the interview, my fiancé had a medical emergency, and with us being new to the area, we had no idea where the nearest urgent care or ER was. We had phoned the director of admissions, and she had called in ahead of time for us to arrive. The Dean of Student Affairs, Nathan Kinnard, had met us at the urgent care to make sure that everything was alright. He had stayed and spoke to us for a while, and that's when we knew that we wanted to be a part of this family moving forward. It wasn't only about the time during the interview, but it was also about the time after the interview and the relationships that we made.

What do you enjoy most about living in the area around your campus?
Coming from South Florida, Monroe is extremely different in great ways. I love that many restaurants here are mom-and-pop shops giving us the opportunity to support local businesses. It has given me the chance to engage with business owners and learn more about their vision for the city of Monroe. With VCOM being built in Monroe, I believe that the area will see great growth in the incoming years encouraging students to stay and come back to serve in rural areas.

What do you like to do in your free time?
My free time consists of working out, playing sports like soccer or basketball, spending time with my fiancé, and trying new places to eat. We're both vegetarians, so we also love to cook and concoct our own delicious meals. Whenever I have a study break, I always try to phone family or friends from back home and see how life is outside of my study bubble. I am also new to investing, so I love to read and keep up with my investment portfolio whenever I can.

Are you interested in a particular practice or specialty once you graduate? What has inspired your interest in this specialty?
My current interests are most likely going to change once we start rotations, but at the moment, I am interested in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Emergency Medicine, and Sports Medicine. I am interested in Emergency Medicine because I worked as a scribe for two years and loved the emergency department's fast pace environment. I'm interested in PM&R and Sports Medicine because I grew up as an athlete playing multiple sports and it was always devastating watching injuries end an athlete's career.