Who or what has inspired you while at VCOM?

Honestly, my classmates inspire me every single day. Obtaining a medical education is obviously difficult, but I think many people view medical students as individuals that are excessively intelligent, can memorize things quickly, and never get tired. All of those are not true for each student. For me, I sometimes get tired but my classmates remind me that this is supposed to be a rigorous process and that the final destination of being a physician and caring for patients will greatly outweigh the difficult times. Our class has multiple channels of communication and we are constantly sharing different learning techniques, strategies, mnemonics, etc. so that everyone is supported and can succeed. At VCOM, we recognize that healthcare is not a single person's duty, but rather a duty that includes the collective - we work towards a central goal and succeed together.

How has the VCOM mission inspired you as a medical student?

The VCOM mission is really powerful to me because it specifically includes the communities of which I am a part. It reminds me consistently of why I chose medicine in the first place - to provide care to those that do not have access. Although the rigors of medicine are clearly evident, it also reminds me of the individuals that rely on physicians to have a life free of disease and disability. This propels me to think of everything I learn in relation to a patient and also helps me rationalize how some minute details may be essential to providing care in the future.

Who or what inspired you to study medicine?

I grew up in a small, rural town in North Carolina where healthcare was not - and still is not - guaranteed for anyone. It was difficult to attract physicians to our area since they would be paid less to provide care. My favorite subject was mathematics when I was young, so I decided to pursue a degree in Engineering. While studying Biomedical Engineering, I realized that instead of designing medical equipment, my personality and interest in medicine were more fit to be on the front lines providing care to patients. I identified this interest initially while spending one of my summers at a pre-medical program at Duke University Hospital, where I found that my engineering problem-solving skills could be uniquely extrapolated to providing clinical care. I hope to return to a rural area to provide healthcare in the next few years and give back to a similar community that raised me.

Why did you choose VCOM?

I chose to attend VCOM because of how welcoming and honest the faculty and students were with me when I needed guidance during the application process. I also liked VCOM's curriculum in that it was a block schedule and integrated typical anatomy/physiology and pathophysiology alongside each other throughout the entire curriculum. I also liked that there was an entire block dedicated to preparation for COMLEX/USMLE Level/Step 1.

What do you enjoy most about living in the area around your campus?

Spartanburg is a great place to live as a young professional and there are multiple ways to get involved with both VCOM and the surrounding community. One of my biggest worries going to medical school was that I would get distracted by a big city. Thankfully, Spartanburg is the perfect size and location for access to plenty of resources, while also not overwhelming me as I focus on my future career as a physician.

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time, you can most likely find me spending time with my friends and family. I also really enjoy spending time at the beach, traveling to explore a new city, going on a run occasionally, reading a new book, or catching up on the new Outer Banks or Grey's Anatomy season on Netflix. My roommates and I also spend a good amount of time creating content for our TikTok and Instagram social media platform @3wannabedocs, where our goal is to provide comical videos to medical professionals with the hopes that it will give them a sense of relief from the stressful and serious environment that medicine is known to be.

Are you interested in a particular practice or specialty once you graduate? What has inspired your interest in this specialty?

At this time, I am most interested in Internal Medicine or Surgery. Cardiology and Gastroenterology are particularly appealing right now!

My favorite subject was mathematics when I was young, so I decided to pursue a degree in Engineering. While studying Biomedical Engineering, I realized that instead of designing medical equipment, my personality and interest in medicine were better fit to be on the front lines of providing care to patients.