The Company You Keep

“Make a conscious effort to surround yourself with positive, nourishing, and uplifting people – people who believe in you, encourage you to go after your dreams, and applaud your victories.” – Jack Canfield

This week, I had the opportunity to attend a networking event hosted by my school’s chapter of the American Women’s Medical Association. It was a wonderful night and I left inspired by the strong, confident individuals around me. I was reminded yet again how fortunate I am to be here doing what I love, learning how to become an exceptional physician. I could never have made it here without the many people who have helped me along the way. The support and mentorship that I have received over the years has been invaluable and I can only hope to pay it forward one day.

Over the years, my mentors have changed with me. As an undergraduate, I utilized the advice of faculty, academic advisors and my college’s pre-health career counselor while navigating the medical school application process. After graduation, I worked for two years as a medical scribe. The physicians I had the privilege of getting to know were an invaluable source of information and taught me more than any book ever could. They allowed me to get an insider’s perspective on what medicine is all about and became my fiercest advocates. As a medical student, I have served as a module representative for two of our courses and will continue to serve as a rotation representative next year. I also had the opportunity to participate in our Summer Scholars program last summer and will be presenting my research at a national conference in a few short weeks. From each of these experiences, I have gained several wonderful mentors who have helped me begin to form my identity as a future physician and whom I know I can lean on as I start my clerkships and begin looking toward residency and beyond.

Medicine is a team sport. You can’t go it alone, so surround yourself with people who will help pull out the best in you. Reach out to the interesting lecturer in class and learn more about what they do. Shadow that guest speaker that talked to your club. Get to know your residents and attending physicians on your rotations. You never know what role they might end up playing in your life. To those of you who are applying to medical school, don’t underestimate the importance of having someone in your corner who can advocate on your behalf. The process can be so confusing without someone to guide you. Don’t be too proud to to go out on a limb and ask for help. It might come from the most unexpected places, so don’t be afraid to take a chance and answer that email or take that call when someone reaches out to you. People are more willing to offer their assistance than you would think! Having someone with me each step of the way made such a difference.

To my former boss, who cared enough to take the time to read my many applications, picked me up when I was at my lowest, and believed in me even when I had begun to doubt myself: there are no words for how much your support meant to me. You were the reason I continued forward when I could have given up. You didn’t give me a choice. You knew I had it in me. I just needed a push. Thank you!