Medical school is a time of transitions – a time of new experiences, of growing, and of learning. Along the way, we make mistakes, we find meaning, we are inspired, and we are humbled. There are some moments of laughter and some of tears. We study, take exams, practice our sutures, and fine-tune our presentations. We have the privilege of being at our patients’ bedsides as they navigate their best and worst days. We improve and we aspire to one day, as physicians, provide the very best care to our patients.
We surveyed our student body here at the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) about their experiences during medical school in an attempt to capture the string of precious moments that make up our medical school experience. This is what was shared.
A moment that reaffirmed why I want to do medicine was …
“When I was guiding a 19 year old Spanish-speaking patient through her first labor experience. She had no family in the US, no partner in the picture, and was estranged from her family.” – Heta Patel, MS3
Something that tested my resilience was …
“Staying until 10 pm for a femoral popliteal bypass surgery on my vascular surgery rotation.” – Soma Umeozulu, MS3
I grew when …
“I had to present an extremely complicated pediatric patient to the CAT team without any attending present.” – Heta Patel, MS3
“I started working with my learning team. I appreciate them so much.” – Parker Kronen, MS1
“I did motivational interviewing with a patient who had alcohol use disorder.” – Soma Umeozulu, MS3
A quote that inspired me during medical school was …
“‘One doesn’t expect to get from life what one has already learned it cannot give. Rather, one begins to see that life is a kind of sowing time… and the harvest is not yet here.’ (-Vincent van Gogh) He was just a humble preacher’s son. And yes, he had his demons, but they never stopped him from searching for beauty. Because when you find beauty, you find inspiration. If, that is, you stay as determined as Vincent. Never stop, no matter how many failures. When you know you’re doing what you’re meant to do, you have to try.” – Ted Lasso, contributed by anonymous MS1
“A part of our roles as physicians is to help certain patients die well, with dignity and on their own terms.” – Anonymous MS3/CDYO
“The only easy day was yesterday” – SEALS Motto by way of Dr. Scott Levin in the University of Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Journal, contributed by Jacob Thomas, MS1
Something that made me smile was …
“Seeing my fellow classmates’ notes on Epic for patients that I was carrying – it reminded me how we’re all working together on a team.” – Heta Patel, MS3
“Getting to know each of my classmates and being blown away by the things they have accomplished as well as the things they hope to accomplish.” – Parker Kronen, MS1
“A patient with prior hepatic encephalopathy stating ‘the only driving I do is driving people crazy.’” – Soma Umeozulu, MS3
Something that moved me was …
“Going on an organ procurement on my transplant surgery rotation.” – Soma Umeozulu, MS3
“One step into the room, and waves of grief wash over me. Claws of death grab at my neck, threatening to steal the blood from my veins, the beat of my heart, and the air from my lungs. Another step, and the door shuts behind me. There is a deafening silence, a heavy stillness, a foul preservative. Cold air sweeps the tiny hairs on my skin upward. One more step, and there is no longer silence, but echoes of full, happy lives once lived. Across from me, there is a woman. She looks like me but older. Paler. Stiller. She lies asleep in front of me. I stand near this woman. I hold her frozen hand, sliding my fingers into her rigid grip. She was once like me… young with blood in her veins, a beating heart, and air flowing in and out of her lungs. One day, I will be her, but for now, I am her student. She is my teacher, my first patient.” – Cheryssa Hislop, MS1
I learned …
“To eventually start trusting myself more.” – Soma Umeozulu, MS3
If I could talk to one of my patients again, I’d say …
“I am so sorry that the end of your life was full of so much suffering. I know you were searching for hope that maybe it would get better, that there would be a way to treat your multiple myeloma. I hope that your last moments were full of peace. I was always rooting for you.” Heta Patel, MS3
I would like to give a special shout out to …
“The Office of Student Affairs for letting me bother them with my stories regularly.” – Parker Kronen, MS1
Graduating MS4s, what advice do you have for medical students earlier on in their training?
- The days are long but the years are short.
- You will discover new things about yourself every day. You may or may not like these things, but your response to them determines who you are.
- Find your people and lean on them.”
– Yun Ke (Tracy) Du, MS4
- “I’m sorry” and “I don’t know” are two phrases in the hospital that are rare and seem taboo- but that are greatly appreciated. Learning how to say them boldly and at the right times will take you far.
- The hospital is an artificial environment that takes people out of their natural communities. If you want to see people as they truly are, try to meet them in these natural communities (plug for community engagement opportunities!)
- A significant benefit of community engagement in medical school is teaching you how to engage with diverse communities with humility and curiosity.
- After clerkships, do electives that teach you *skills*, such as ultrasound or palliative care. I promise you’ll learn about things like the heart and infectious diseases eventually, but there are certain skills that are extremely helpful but that you don’t get formally taught the way you should, unless you do an elective.
- Fourth-year isn’t just about vacationing- it’s about self-actualization. With the knowledge you have from your clerkships, and the immense free time you get after finishing your requirements, you finally get to put all your time and energy into exploring the things you care about most.”
– Victor Ayeni, MS4
Compiled by the apenndx Creative Directors and Editor in Chiefs
