Week 5 of the PreMed Mondays book covers defining success and personal development.
1) It is important for premeds to define success early in their careers.
2) As a physician, there will be many temptations to get on the hedonic treadmill. Your goal is to avoid it!
3) Reading is a cornerstone for many leaders. One of the best ways to develop yourself is to read (or listen to) the right books!
4) This week’s challenge.
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1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Oderah Udemadu and I’m a pharmaceutical science major at NCCU. I’m currently doing my internship at UNC on cancer research and do research at NCCU during the school year as well. I’m a first generation Nigerian as well as the firstborn of four kids. Both of my parents are RNs.
2. Who was your favorite teacher in school and how did he or she impact you? My favorite teachers (a teacher + her student teacher) were in English actually, and their impact was phenomenal. Along with the nurturing of my love to read, they encouraged me to aspire academically in an environment that severely lacked resources or motivation to excel academically. They also taught me to be me and never be ashamed of who I am despite who hates on it.
3. When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor and why? I actually came to the conclusion that I would love to be a doctor about a month ago! As God would have it, one curious search eventually led me to Premed Star and the website has been momentous in helping me feel like its a realm of reality possible for me. I want to help people and being able to apply my knowledge and expertise to aid in others health is a blessing that would honestly make me feel better than any amount of money could.
4. What area of medicine are you interested in? I think that oncology is very interesting, because of my familiarity with cancer as a result of research. Pediatrics and neurosurgery are also highly up there, due to my love of children and interest in the science and medicine of the nervous system.
5. What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far on your premedical journey? I would say that the coolest experience I’ve ver had so far (though I had no clue at the time) was having the blessing of being able to shadow the lab of Dr. Kafui Dzirasa (MD/PhD) at Duke back in high school. It was one of the very few shadowing experiences I had and now that I know more, I’m very grateful I got to see the lab, the mice, the tech they used, and gleam an insight on how they analyze the brains of the mice.
6. What is your favorite book? I would say its a 3-way tie between the Inheritance series, Harry Potter series, and the Autobiography of Malcolm X.
7. Tell us one thing interesting about you that most people don’t know. My cousin is currently playing in the NBA summer league (Go Stan Okoye!)
8. If you couldn’t be a doctor, what would you want to do? That’s a tough question… I’d probably go into research or industry if I couldn’t do medicine.
9. What has been your biggest obstacle as a premed and how did you (or are you) overcome it? Lack of exposure and examples of black (male) doctors. I had to find out what I didn’t know and seek out the few black/minority spaces for premeds, and I can’t give Premed Star enough credit for being so active on that front.
10. What do you like most about PreMed STAR? The community of aspiring individuals coupled with the tutelage of the doctors on here, the wealth of advice in the form of weekly blogs, the insight on what being a doctor truly is like, and the recruitment of other minority doctors to speak on their life and how they made it as doctors.
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The 4 years of medical school can shape you in ways you can never imagine. You will learn so much about yourself. You will push yourself to new limits. New lifelong friendships will blossom. You will be awake while the rest of the world sleeps and experience things few people will ever encounter. Many will face some of their toughest days emotionally and physically but these will be countered by the joy one can only get from assisting in saving a life or bringing life into the world. These 4 years will go by fast but memories will last the rest of your life. As I drove to work the other day, I was reminiscing on some memorable and pivotal medical school experiences:
1. First Day of School
My summer mood full of anticipation and excitement quickly turned to anxiety and self-doubt the day before med school orientation. How could this be? I had always been fairly confident in my ability to excel and by this time I was clearly a bonafide, professional student. Could it be that I was falling prey to the imposter syndrome? I most certainly was. I struggled to sleep that night imagining a class full of Doogie Howsers and Mark Zuckerbergs dressed in khakis and bow-ties. They were all telling stories of how they were wait-listed at Harvard and Yale.
I never asked other medical students but I probably wasn’t the only one who failed to sleep that night. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised as I walked into the UTMB’s Old Red amphitheater to find a diverse class of mostly laid back students smiling and chatting with one another like normal people would. Half of them looked like they had been in fraternities and sororities. The biggest shock came when an old basketball buddy of mine from college walked in. He played college basketball at a neighboring college and I felt like he and I lived in the gym. We both smiled and simultaneously said, “You’re in medical school!?!”
This day thought me not to judge a book by its cover and I quickly began to believe in myself again. Med students are a bunch of well-rounded, cool folks.
2. USMLE Step 1 Exam
This by far was the hardest test of my life. I can best describe this 1-2 months of studying as being in the trenches with my med school comrades. You just have to experience it yourself. This test is what stands in the way of you attending the residency of your choice at your choice program. In most medical schools this test is taken at the end of your second year. You eat, breath, sleep with your First Aid study book. I literally read this book 5 times and left very few pages with any white space left. Till this day, I hear certain diseases and my mind immediately rushes back to a page in that book. My day consisted of waking up at 6:30am by accountability partner’s phone call, getting ready and rushing to my favorite study room before it was occupied. I would stay in that room until midnight except for a quick 30-minute lunch break and a dinner/gym break. Practice test after practice test. I pretty much was surrounded by classmates all cramming as much as they could. At times, hallways were lined with coffee drinking zombies reciting mnemonic after mnemonic. Despite this dark picture, somehow this became fun and strong bonds were created between classmates. This was life for us but in the end, the studying paid off for most of us.
Step 1 taught me that I could always push a mile further than I originally thought especially with an accountability buddy by my side.
3. Orthopedics Rotation
I had finally begun my 3rd year of medical school. These were the clinical years and I was starting out with one of my highly anticipated rotations, Orthopedic Surgery. Woohoo! Let the fun begin. I thoroughly enjoyed this rotation but quickly learned surgery was not for me. I certainly was not a fan of the sterile fields which kept me on my toes all day dodging anything that could cause me to be contaminated. I typically woke up around 4 or 5 am in order to pre-round on my patients and run questions by the intern. Room-to-room, floor-to-floor, I quickly collected vital signs and constructed a SOAP note. We would round with our team typically consisting of 2 or 3 medical students, 1 or 2 interns, a chief resident, and an attending. Interns typically presented the cases unless the attending had time before the first surgical case and wanted the med student to get some practice presenting. Occasionally, the attending would “pimp” us (i.e. ask us medical questions). There was an art to responding to the pimping. See, as a third-year medical student coming fresh out of Step 1 studies, this may be the most medically knowledgeable you will ever be. However, you must know how to tame yourself and allow the intern (who may have forgotten some of the basic sciences) to answer first. It is never good to make your intern or resident look bad and I saw a number of med students do just that. My most memorable day was one I spent 8 hours in the OR assisting on a complicated infected hip case. As the only medical student there I was “lucky” enough to hold the patient’s leg on my hip, rotating, flexing, extending, abducting and adducting this joint. Somehow, my residents got contaminated and had to leave the case for some time only to come back smelling like pizza. The quiet medical student (me) on the other hand stood there for 8 hours without a drop of water or bite to eat. Times were hard.
My clinical years thought me that knowledge does not equate to wisdom. One must weed out the zebras and know how to apply what they’ve learned practically. Stay humble and soak in as much as you can.
4. Trauma Call
Everyone knows that the call room bed is the most treasured destination while on trauma call. Every chance you get to catch some Z’s you must take it. Your favorite words to hear from the resident is, “Ya’ll can go rest now.” I recall sleeping one early morning and getting a page at 2 am. It read, “GSW, ETA 15 min” (gunshot wound, estimated time of arrival 15 minutes). Waking up from interrupted sleep can be rough at times. I recall waking up very groggy and grouchy. I had received very little sleep that week and was attempting to study for the shelf exam. Myself and the other medical student rushed down the stairs half asleep to a silent trauma bay with trauma shears in hand, awaiting the patient’s arrival. Its the calm before the storm they say. Right on time, the paramedics rolled in the patient. I was shocked to see a 25-year-old, African American male who resembled me. We must’ve been nearly the same height, body frame, and even skin complexion. The world froze for a second as we locked eyes and the young man in visible pain pleaded with me to help him out. My perspective on life changed that day as I helped take care of that young man. A few minutes before I was sleep deprived and complaining about the pager and now I was helping save the life of this gentleman. I couldn’t help but think this easily could’ve been me if I had made different choices in life. It turns out he didn’t live too far from where I grew up. After he was loaded with pain medication, the patient finally was at ease. It turned out the bullet had hit his spine and rendered him paraplegic. I got to learn more from this young man as I wheeled him back and forth between CT and X-ray. It turns out he was shot during a possible gang affiliated drive by. He had dreams and aspirations to be something great. He was ashamed to let his 3-year-old son see him in this condition but at the same time this child was his motivation for living.
Trauma call thought me that altruism is essential if one wants to be the best healer they can be. I learned to be grateful because when I think I’m having a bad day, someone out there has it much worse and would love to trade places.
5. Match Day
The most anticipated day of medical school is match day. This is a day full of celebration, gratitude, picture taking, and farewells. This is the day you find out where you will be going for your residency. The auditorium was filled with students, teachers, friends, and families. Our dean stood on stage with others from the advisory office. They had laughed, cried, and celebrated with us over the 4 years. A class video with students performing a parody of Grey’s Anatomy was played on the screen for all to see. This was very embarrassing as I still don’t know how they got me to say yes to acting. Student names were drawn from a hat one-by-one and we each ran to the stage like the prize is right to receive our envelope. We took these envelopes back to our seats and opened them with anxious loved ones by our side. Every few seconds a scream could be heard as someone must have matched to their program of choice. Some couples entered into a couple’s match and were delighted to hear they would be training together at the same program or at least in the same city. It was a magical moment. Simply magical. We had done it! We had conquered the beast that is called medical school.
Many premeds shadow physicians but do not get the opportunity to sample what medical school is really like. I’m curious to hear what you feel medical school will be like. Are you anxious or excited? Do you have any questions about medical school in general?
A video I highly encourage all premeds to watch is Med School Diaries. It does an amazing job chronicling students through the first day of school all the way into their residency and finally as full-fledged physicians. Check it out:
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Week 4 of the PreMed Mondays book covers ways to stay motivated as a premedical student.
1) Fours ways to stay motivated as a premed
2) This week’s challenge
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1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Hi Premed Star! My name is Stacy Ann James I was born and raised in beautiful Guyana the only English speaking country in South America. Eight years ago, my family and I migrated to the United States of America and I currently reside in Brooklyn, New York. I recently graduated from Medgar Evers College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology Cum Laude with a premedical concentration, an accomplishment my family and I are extremely proud of since I am a first-generation college graduate. In my spare time I enjoy traveling, camping, spending quality time with family and friends not forgetting a little retail therapy or you can find me singing in my church’s gospel choir. Fun, adventurous and enthusiastic are just few of my traits. Some of my special interest includes mentoring, women empowerment and advocacy for equal opportunities. I am very thankful for my journey thus far and for all who played a part in my success story. Currently I am applying to medical school for the 2019 cycle and I anticipate being a part of the M.D. class of 2023!!
2. Who was your favorite teacher in school and how did he or she impact you? This is definitely a hard one because I have a few favorites. My first would be my professor and mentor Dr. Chiyedza Small who peaked my interest and love for Genetics as a student in her class. After which, I conducted research in her research laboratory for the past two years at my institution. Dr. Small has her students best interest at heart. She goes above and beyond to ensure that we are successful in our career paths. I admire her strength and wisdom as a female scientist in her field. I am extremely grateful for her love and mentorship over the past years.
Next, my introductory Biology Professor Dr. Ferdinand. She is a beautiful soul and taught with such grace and passion. I remember bombarding Dr. Ferdinand with questions during office hours about furthering my studies in science specifically medicine. She became one of my mentors and continued to support my academia throughout my years in college.
3. When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor and why? The thought of becoming a doctor crossed my mind numerous times, however, it was during my freshman year in college I made the decision that I wanted to be a doctor. I couldn’t help but to ponder upon the fact that the human body is an amazing work of art. It was fascinating to learn about small but yet complex processes which can have and overall impact on human health. Medicine is like solving a puzzle, connecting the dots together and finding a way to complete the finished product based on knowledge. In addition, being raised in a third world country, I am a witness to the limited access to healthcare due to the lack of medical resources. Therefore, I aim to make a difference in communities that are underserved globally, bringing healing and reassurance to those who desperately desire it.
In my quest to learn and explore the medical field, I became a member of the pre-medical club at my institution. It was here where I discovered about the “Exploring Health Careers Program” at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. As an intern I was exposed to medicine through shadowing in various specialties. The most rewarding experiences was shadowing an ER Physician and witnessing a Cardiologist perform a cardiac catheterization. This encounter has help me to solidify my decision to pursue a lifelong career in medicine.
4. What area of medicine are you interested in? I have a few areas that I am interested in. My first choice would be Emergency Medic
ine due to my many experiences of shadowing in the emergency room. I enjoy being challenged and I can see myself fitted in such an environment. My other interests would be Cardiology or OB/GYN. However, I am very open-mined about choosing a specialty and I can’t wait to learn and grow.
5. What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far on your premedical journey? My coolest experience would be volunteering during the summer for the past four years with City MD Urgent Care Clinic for the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge marathon in Central Park, New York. As part of the medical team who provided adequate medical care for runners who were injured, I was responsible for triaging by taking details of patients who are transported to the medical tent and in other cases performing basic first aid procedures like cleaning minor cuts, bruises and applying bandages. The highlight of this experience was witnessing a case of cardiac arrest at the finish line. The Physicians were able to resuscitate the individual after various rounds of CPR; This moment made me gain profound respect for Physicians and what they do on a daily basis. Overall, this was a great experience and exposure, I am truly honored to have had an opportunity where I can learn and gain some of the necessary skills needed to succeed as a future medical professional.
6. What is your favorite book? My favorite book is “Gifted Hands” an autobiography of neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson which narrates his life growing up in a single parent home, facing many challenges especially in his academia, beating the odds going from “class dummy” to becoming one of the best pediatric neurosurgeons in his field. My next favorite is another by Dr. Ben Carson “Think Big” which offers advice on unleashing your potential for excellence. Both books were given to me by my pastor to read during my high school years. I couldn’t put the books down, they served as a great motivation personally and has continued to inspire me towards my decision of pursuing medicine as a career.
7. Tell us one thing interesting about you that most people don’t know. One thing interesting about me is that I absolutely love to cook, I enjoy being creative in the kitchen; a trait I inherited from my mother at a tender age. Moreover, I enjoy trying various cultural cuisines; one of my favorite is Nigerian jollof rice.
8. If you couldn’t be a doctor, what would you want to do? Honestly, I don’t see myself dedicating my life to another profession. I say this because I have nurtured this passion and prayed since choosing this path and by God’s grace I will become a doctor.
9. What has been your biggest obstacle as a premed and how did you (or are you) overcome it? One of my biggest obstacle as a premed student was CHEMISTRY. Seeking out resources such as tutoring has helped tremendously, not forgetting office hours. Besides chemistry, I have been blessed to cross paths with my professors, advisors, mentors and friends whose unwavering support have contributed to my success as a premed.
10. What do you like most about PreMed STAR? Meeting Dr. Dale at ABRCMS 2016 in Florida and hearing him speak about his passion for PreMed Star immediately I knew that I wanted to be a part of this community. What I like most is hearing about everyone’s journey (traditional and non-traditional) towards medicine. Our experiences and path may vary but the ultimate goal is to contribute to the field of medicine. Moreover, having access to the resources on this platform has been invaluable and it has helped me throughout my journey as premed student.
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I’ve avoided this topic for quite some time, but it keeps coming back. Not infrequently, premeds reach out to me upset and seemingly disappointed in their premedical advisor relationships. This is easily one of the biggest complaints I get. These students feel as though they have (or had) no guidance from their advisors during the premed years. The lack of guidance in turn leads to extra time in college, increased debt, unnecessary gap years, etc. etc. etc. It’s a BIG deal.
Earlier this week, I got an email from a premed advisor at an east coast university. We ended up chatting on the phone and hit it off well. Our conversation wandered into this idea of students feeling abandoned by premed advisors. This individual (who was relatively new in this specific advising position but had been doing advising work for several years) mentioned that many of his students seemed to be lost prior his arrival, and had difficulty navigating the premed system.
So, what do you do when your advisor isn’t giving you the guidance you are looking for? Here are 5 things to consider if you are in this situation.
The bottom line pertaining to premed advising is that they are there to help you. I STRONGLY encourage you to use your premed advisor, as most of them have your best interest in mind. HOWEVER, keep in mind that it’s your job to get into med school. I can’t do it for you, nor can your advisor. That being the case, YOU need to step up and get the job done. There are too many excellent resources available online for you to limit yourself. Don’t let anyone box you in and prevent you from accessing them. You need to control your own path to success. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not have your best interest in mind.
Here’s my question to you, have you ever had a difficult experience with an advisor, if so, were you able to rectify it and how? Also, what strategies have you used to get the most out of your advising relationship?
*Image credit: Jobvite
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Week 3 of the PreMed Mondays book covers 5 ways to know medicine is the right career for you. In this podcast episode, I’ll cover 3 of them.
1) Three ways to know medicine is the right field for you.
2) This week I’m giving everyone a FREE copy of my PreMed Mondays ebook on Amazon.
3) This week’s challenge.
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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.
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“Koinonia.” This was the word that won the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee. A young, soft-spoken 14-year-old boy named Karthik Nemmani took home the $40,000 grand prize. Karthik happens to be Indian-American and for those who are avid watchers of this competition, you may have noticed a trend. He is the 14th consecutive Indian-American champion. Actually, 19 of the past 23 winners are of Indian heritage.
Every day there is a new story centered on immigrants. Whether it’s about undocumented parents being split from their children, Dreamers, or travel bans you can’t escape this word. Unfortunately, it has been highly polarized and even villainized by some over the past few years. It has adopted a negative connotation lately as it is so many times now automatically associated with terms such as “illegal”, “undocumented” and “unauthorized” even for those who don’t even fit that bill. This is ironic being that the US is a country that blossomed from the immigrant mindset. We sometimes overlook the achievements and contributions made by so many immigrants and children of immigrants.
Let’s try this out. Think of five, current and influential medical doctors in the United States.
Go….
Maybe your list included neurosurgeon, Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, Dr. Sanjay Gupta who simplifies medical news for millions of Americans weekly. Possibly cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Mehmet Oz came to mind. For those bookworms out there, you may have thought about endocrine surgeon and bestselling author, Dr. Atul Gawande. Maybe even pathologist, Dr. Bennet Omalu who brought to light the dangers of chronic traumatic encephalopathy crossed your mind. What do these doctors all have in common? They are all either immigrants or individuals born to immigrant parents.
According to a study by Johns Hopkins University following 10,795 adolescents into their 30s, children of immigrants performed (educationally and behaviorally) better than those with deeper roots in the U.S. Furthermore, those born in a foreign country who migrated to the US did better than those who were born in the US to immigrant parents. Those born in the US to immigrant parents fared better than those born to American born parents. The study showed that immigrant children tend to do better in STEM fields. Why is this the case?
Now back to the spelling bee.
The final three spelling bee challengers this year were all children of immigrants and all come from an area I am very familiar with. A few weeks ago, I visited a friend in that northern Dallas area. I followed him as he dropped his young son off at a tutoring program on a Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t help but wonder who else would be attending such tutoring classes on a weekend. This seemed like a perfect time for racing bicycles, going to the movies, or swimming. Well, the majority of the class (if not the entire class) consisted of children of immigrant parents. One could only appreciate the commitment these parents and children must have towards academics.
Immigrant parents have a special drive that often sets them apart from the crowd. Many have had to overcome the odds to travel to a new land with their families. Priorities are often centered on family and education. Parents want their children to be more successful than the earlier generation and the most secure way to achieve this is by climbing up the education ladder. As a medical student, I had an amazing and very bright roommate who received his student visa to work on his PhD in the US. I watched as he facetimed his wife and little children at midnight as they were 7 hours ahead. I watched him get homesick, struggle for transportation, and learn many little and big cultural lessons. After years of hard work, he defended his thesis, gained sponsorship, and was allowed to bring his family to the US. I’m thrilled every time I see a proud dad post of his children winning numerous awards.
Over the years, I have come to appreciate 10 qualities and factors that push many immigrants to success in the US. These include:
1. Having a strong “why” (sometimes people’s lives depend on you)
2. Stern and strict parents
3. Appreciative personality
4. Competitive spirit (hopefully friendly)
5. Ability not to easily succumb to peer pressure
6. Very tough skin (and I mean literally too, for those familiar with La chancla, belts, and switches)
7. Persistent and locked into 2 or 3 career paths
8. Strong family values
9. Frugal lifestyle
10. High expectations
There are many of you on PreMed STAR who are immigrants or children of immigrants. Many of you can identify with the immigrant mentality and others have friends they know who display these qualities. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
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Thinking about the conversations and news pieces going around recently, I thought I’d share the below. When you become a physician, you take an oath. Osteopathic schools administer the Osteopathic Oath (sometimes along with others), allopathic schools administer the Hippocratic Oath, Declaration of Geneva, the Oath of Maimonides, and/or something similar drafted by faculty and students. I thought it would be nice to share those here (credit to Wikipedia for all of these). None of this is legally binding, of course, but they represent a nice sentiment and ideal to remember.
Osteopathic Oath
I do hereby affirm my loyalty to the profession I am about to enter. I will be mindful always of my great responsibility to preserve the health and the life of my patients, to retain their confidence and respect both as a physician and a friend who will guard their secrets with scrupulous honor and fidelity, to perform faithfully my professional duties, to employ only those recognized methods of treatment consistent with good judgment and with my skill and ability, keeping in mind always nature’s laws and the body’s inherent capacity for recovery.
I will be ever vigilant in aiding in the general welfare of the community, sustaining its laws and institutions, not engaging in those practices which will in any way bring shame or discredit upon myself or my profession. I will give no drugs for deadly purposes to any person, though it be asked of me.
I will endeavor to work in accord with my colleagues in a spirit of progressive cooperation and never by word or by act cast imputations upon them or their rightful practices.
I will look with respect and esteem upon all those who have taught me my art. To my college I will be loyal and strive always for its best interests and for the interests of the students who will come after me. I will be ever alert to further the application of basic biologic truths to the healing arts and to develop the principles of osteopathy which were first enunciated by Andrew Taylor Still.
Hippocratic Oath
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.
I will not be ashamed to say “I know not,” nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient’s recovery.
I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
Declaration of Geneva
AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION:
• I SOLEMNLY PLEDGE to dedicate my life to the service of humanity;
• THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MY PATIENT will be my first consideration;
• I WILL RESPECT the autonomy and dignity of my patient;
• I WILL MAINTAIN the utmost respect for human life;
• I WILL NOT PERMIT considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;
• I WILL RESPECT the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
• I WILL PRACTICE my profession with conscience and dignity and in accordance with good medical practice;
• I WILL FOSTER the honour and noble traditions of the medical profession;
• I WILL GIVE to my teachers, colleagues, and students the respect and gratitude that is their due;
• I WILL SHARE my medical knowledge for the benefit of the patient and the advancement of healthcare;
• I WILL ATTEND TO my own health, well-being, and abilities in order to provide care of the highest standard;
• I WILL NOT USE my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
• I MAKE THESE PROMISES solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
Oath of Maimonides
The eternal providence has appointed me to watch over the life and health of Thy creatures. May the love for my art actuate me at all times; may neither avarice nor miserliness, nor thirst for glory or for a great reputation engage my mind; for the enemies of truth and philanthropy could easily deceive me and make me forgetful of my lofty aim of doing good to Thy children.
May I never see in the patient anything but a fellow creature in pain.
Grant me the strength, time and opportunity always to correct what I have acquired, always to extend its domain; for knowledge is immense and the spirit of man can extend indefinitely to enrich itself daily with new requirements. Today he can discover his errors of yesterday and tomorrow he can obtain a new light on what he thinks himself sure of today.
Oh, God, Thou has appointed me to watch over the life and death of Thy creatures; here am I ready for my vocation and now I turn unto my calling.
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