Congratulations to Lucy! Premed of the Week!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Hi Friends! My name is Lucy and I am from a small coastal town in Connecticut called Stonington. I have been blessed with two loving parents, one younger sister named Clare and two small dogs. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college and I am eternally grateful for my parents unwavering support and endless sacrifices, which have allowed both my sister and I to pursue our passions. I am also extremely grateful to my parents for sharing their love of travel with my sister and me. One of my favorite places to visit is Sedona, AZ; red rock mesa’s and a plethora of day climbs with powerful energy vortexes is a stark contrast to the environment in which I was raised. Back home I enjoy spending my summer days plopped on East Beach in Watch Hill with a good book. I have a passion for gardening, and I also enjoy attending barre classes at a local yoga studio. I love playing recreational tennis and watching golf.

2. Who was your favorite teacher in school and how did he or she impact you? I had two professors in university whom I greatly admired. One of them I conducted undergraduate research with. His classes inspired me to consider research as a career. I remember a specific class he taught being a crucial turning point in my education. This class I completed first semester sophomore year and was titled Biochemistry of HIV. Students were split into pairs and assigned to research a specific mechanism of HIV-1 reproduction and then teach the topic over a three-class period. My group was assigned reverse transcription. His teaching style complimented by his undergraduate research opportunities forced students to think outside of the box, rewarded creative thinking, and inspired me explore topics beyond the scope of his class.

3. When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor and why? My interest in medicine has grown from a young age. My earliest memory of proclamation was kindergarten; sitting on the rug we were all asked what we wanted to be when we grow up. I said I wanted to be a doctor and a young boy sitting across from me said, “You can’t be a doctor because you are a girl”. These passions were solidified throughout my childhood with the premature deaths of many close relatives, and a long illness my father endured throughout my adolescent years. During my sophomore year of high school I was nominated by my math teacher and attend a two-week youth leadership conference on medicine in Boston, which planted a lasting seed. My interests in pursuing a career in medicine were further nurtured in college with internships at Boston Children’s Hospital and confirmed my desire to pursue a medical career working with children.

4. What area of medicine are you interested in? I have dabbled in many specialties. I have ruled out specialties I feel I would not be happy in, and although I am very open minded, my current favorites are radiation oncology and neurosurgery. Initially I was drawn in neonatology, and after working in the NICU for two internships and then six months as an RA, I know it is not for me. I was also initially fascinated by my first cracked chest and cardio-thoracic surgery, but after countless aortic valve, after mitral valve replacement, I learned that I need diversity in surgery cases if I am to make a commitment to a surgical specialty. I was not intrigued by the orthopaedic surgery, nor OB/GYN and the insurance that comes with it. I was astounded by family practice being reduced to a bottom line and the fact that even my own family practice doctor didn’t know his patients names, was burnt out, and frustrated by a broken system. My research internship in undergrad consisted of long hours segmenting neonate neuro MRI’s which sparked an interest in radiologist. I was disappointed to learn that in the US radiologists have no patient contact, and I ruled it out. In pursuit of a specialty that works with the brain and technology I was led to pediatric neuro-oncology, but was turned off by how disconnected some of the doctors were from their patients. And this finally led me to both pediatric radiation oncology and pediatric neurosurgery. I admire that from Rad Onc you can have a great work life balance, my love of physics is embraced in treatment planning along with use of technology in an every changing field, and each case is unique. The down side is that there is nearly no demand for pediatric radiation oncologists. On the other hand, I deeply enjoy the OR, and I hope working IONM for a few years will help me decide if neurosurgery is my lifelong pursuit. I love the diversity of the job, and the complexity the brain brings to each case. The down side to the job for me is difficulty finding a work life balance.

5. What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far on your premedical journey? My highlight so far was working on a research project at Boston Children’s Hospital with neonates born with spina bifida or hydrocephalus. The project aimed to determine if the onset of hydrocephalus, severity, or response to treatment could be measured non-invasively with a device called Frequency-Domain Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (FDNIRS) and eventually be used to make predictions and direct care. As a researcher we became a part of the patients care team sometimes as early as the first day of life and the project looks to follow them through toddler years. It was inspiring to see the parents commitment to helping future generations of children knowing full well that their child would likely not benefit from the findings of the study.

6. What is your favorite book? I love to read, it is difficult to name a sole favorite, but I have always enjoyed Peter Pan and admired the work of J.M. Barrie.

7. Tell us one thing interesting about you that most people don’t know.? I transferred to Ave Maria University for my sophomore year of college and the school’s mission statement is dedicated to the virtues of St. Teresa of Calcutta. During my college years I came to learn much about the then Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and very inspired by her work serving the poorest of the poor. During the summer of my junior year of college I decided to serve with her sisters in Dorchester, MA in a shelter for homeless women and children.

8. If you couldn’t be a doctor, what would you want to do? If I did not pursue a MD, I would likely pursue a Ph.D. in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics and then a Residency in Medical Physics; allowing me to work in medical practice or research as my career develops.

9. What has been your biggest obstacle as a premed and how did you (or are you) overcome it? My biggest obstacle associated strictly with medical school was changing my plan. I had moved to Boston in July of 2017, signed a two year commitment with a research lab, and a one year lease with intentions of publishing and applying to this years 2018-2019 cycle. Then seemingly overnight everything changed. The week before Christmas I found out I would be losing my job, and my plans had shattered. I had to break my lease, move home with my parents, found out my boyfriend had cheated on me, broke up with him and decided this was my opportunity at a clean slate. I applied to a graduate program, got accepted. Took a substitute teaching job at the Public School in our district and learned most importantly how to take time for myself. I am now planning to apply for the 2019-2020 cycle, God willing.

10. What do you like most about PreMed STAR? A close friend referred me to PreMed STAR, and I am extremely thankful to have stumbled upon an uplifting community of driven people working towards a mutual goal. Throughout my undergraduate career, I was always resistant to be labeled as a “premed” because they were more than often than not, the students who were overly competitive, cut throat, and unwilling to contribute to the academic community in a positive way. It is encouraging to find an online group of future colleagues who transcend these stigmas.