1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.  I graduated from Eastern Mennonite University’s M.A. in Biomedicine program. I am a non-traditional student who has had many life experiences but I’ve always been on this path to pursue a career in medicine. Currently, I am preparing for my MCAT and working as a medical scribe. I am involved in the Student National Medical Association and serve as an ambassador for the International Service Learning Organization. My passions are global health, mentoring, clinical research, and clinical practice. During my off time I enjoy reading, traveling, exercising, and spending time with my family and friends. I am excited to move onto the next phase of my education and I look forward to spending more time with my family!

2. Who was your favorite teacher in school and how did he or she impact you?  My favorite teacher in school was Mr. Mike Willets who was my physical science instructor and mentor. Mr. Willets introduced me to different facets of medicine and allowed me to shadow him during after school events in the athletic training department. My interest in medicine grew from here and he continued to push and challenge me. I am grateful for him taking me under his wing and expanding my interests in the field of medicine. Mr. Willets’ exams were tough but it taught me to think in a way beyond just memorizing concepts. I learned how to apply complex problems into real-life situations. Through his network, Mr. Willets introduced me to local doctors in Springfield, OH where I was able to shadow and build close relationships. I shadowed and volunteered in both in-patient and out patient medical settings.

3. When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor and why?  I had interest in math and science courses from a very early age, but my interest in medicine truly began when my mother and sister suffered a traumatic car accident in India when I was very young. After seeing pictures of my mom on a ventilator, I was curious of what type of care she was receiving and the clinicians who were treating her. When I was in 8th grade I moved to Owensboro, Kentucky and shadowed my uncle who is a neurologist. I was inspired by his dedication to serving his patients and working endless hours to make sure they received the best care.

4. What area of medicine are you interested in?  Currently, I am interested in primary care and emergency medicine to help treat patients that live in medically underserved areas. I have had the opportunity to work as a medical scribe in a rural setting which has helped me envision the way I would like to shape my future practice.

5. What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far on your premedical journey?  The coolest experience on my pre-med journey was the cross culture trip that I took with my biomedicine cohort to Nicaragua. We chose to participate in a global health medical mission trip. We traveled with International Service Learning who trained us with basic clinical skills that we used during patient visits. I will remember this trip forever because it solidified my decision to pursue a career in medicine and I walked away with many lifelong friendships.

6. What is your favorite book?  My favorite book is When Breath Becomes Air. Check it out!

7. Tell us one thing interesting about you that most people don’t know. I like to watch a lot of different YouTube channels of medical students, residents, and practicing physicians to get their perspective on what their journey is like!

8. If you couldn’t be a doctor, what would you want to do?  If I could not be a doctor, I would go into clinical research and teaching. I enjoy mentoring students and learning from others. In addition, clinical research is something that I found to be passionate about during graduate school. I like working with underserved populations and identifying ways to improve their quality of life through clinical studies/qualitative research.

9. What has been your biggest obstacle as a premed and how did you (or are you) overcome it? The biggest obstacle along my premed journey has been getting sound advice and guidance prior to starting grad school. I felt lost when my grades were not up to par, I was not sure where to go. However, I broke out of my shell and joined SNMA and AMSA which provided a platform to seek advice from other premed students, med students, adcoms, and active physicians. These organizations helped me find a post-bac program at Eastern Mennonite University which allowed me to strengthen my credentials and help build confidence in myself to pursue a career in medicine. I have been blessed to come across so many individuals who continue to help me achieve my goals, i.e. I met Dr. Dale and Dr. Daniel at AMEC!

10. What do you like most about Diverse Medicine? I enjoy giving and receiving guidance from other students who have participated in some amazing service opportunities, clinical experience, etc. I have learned so much from each of you which has helped motivate me to broaden the experiences along my journey.

*Note, Milan was also Premed of the Year 2017.

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