- Joined
- May 10, 2012
- Messages
- 3,660
- Reaction score
- 3,538
Hi everyone,
Community spotlight will be a brief Q/A session with members from across the SDN community every few weeks which will feature all different types of specialties! It is my hope that users will be able to learn more about those who use the forums day to day, and those who are interviewed can share their experiences with the community! So without further ado, I present the inaugural community spotlight with @fldoctorgirl who is a current medical student!
What first brought you to SDN, and how long have you been around the community?
I first joined SDN in spring semester of my junior year of undergrad. I was studying for the MCAT and was trying to figure out which schools I stood a chance at applying to, so I started browsing SDN pretty obsessively. I was a lurker for a bit and then finally decided to make my own account one day.
What are some things you would suggest to students wanting to pursue medical school?
There are the obvious things like getting good grades and checking the extracurricular boxes and what not. But, I would recommend becoming a person and not just being someone whose whole life is school. Make sure you take time for friends and family, hobbies, and anything else that brings you joy! Once you start medical school, it’s hard to develop these hobbies; if you have them before, they’ll help you stay sane when school gets tough! Also, they just make you an interesting person and give you things to talk about in your personal statement or interviews.
What inspired you to pursue medicine?
I fell in love with medicine in my middle school life science class. I remember learning about the organelles in the cell and all of the organ systems and just having my mind blown by how cool it was. I also had experience with the inequities of healthcare; I grew up without health insurance because my family wasn’t poor enough to get it for free but not rich enough to be able to afford it. I watched a close family member struggle to afford their medications for their various chronic conditions until they started seeing a primary care doctor who gave them samples at every appointment so that they could keep taking their medication. My family member’s life was literally changed by this doctor, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.
What is your dream occupation in medicine?
Right now I’m interested in doing an internal medicine residency, and I really like the idea of being a hospitalist! My ideal job would probably involve some sort of mix between being a hospitalist and working as a primary care provider in an outpatient setting.
Is there anything that really helped you, or stood out to you since being a forum user on SDN?
I’m sure a lot of people are familiar with @Goro on SDN! He helped me a ton after I got my MCAT score back and was trying to build a school list. I am super grateful for his advice, as well as the advice of various other people on the forums. I think the strength of SDN comes from all of the attendings, residents, med students, faculty, and everyone else who comes together and shares their advice and perspectives. Because of SDN I knew how to navigate applying to medical school, actually starting as a student, how to study for boards, and how to prep for residency applications. It's helped me immensely throughout my journey thus far.
What is your claim to fame here on SDN?
I’m pretty active on the school-specific forums advising people. I get tons of DMs from people trying to make the decision between several schools. So many people on SDN helped me when I was in the same position, so I’m glad I’m able to help in return.
Is there any forum users you’d like to give a shout out to?
@Goro !
If you were stranded on an island with only a pair of shoes, candy bar, and a stethoscope, what would you do?
I love candy, so that bar probably wouldn’t last very long.
Thank you fldoctorgirl and to all those for reading! It is a work in progress, so if you have any suggestions please feel free to message me!
-PG
Community spotlight will be a brief Q/A session with members from across the SDN community every few weeks which will feature all different types of specialties! It is my hope that users will be able to learn more about those who use the forums day to day, and those who are interviewed can share their experiences with the community! So without further ado, I present the inaugural community spotlight with @fldoctorgirl who is a current medical student!
What first brought you to SDN, and how long have you been around the community?
I first joined SDN in spring semester of my junior year of undergrad. I was studying for the MCAT and was trying to figure out which schools I stood a chance at applying to, so I started browsing SDN pretty obsessively. I was a lurker for a bit and then finally decided to make my own account one day.
What are some things you would suggest to students wanting to pursue medical school?
There are the obvious things like getting good grades and checking the extracurricular boxes and what not. But, I would recommend becoming a person and not just being someone whose whole life is school. Make sure you take time for friends and family, hobbies, and anything else that brings you joy! Once you start medical school, it’s hard to develop these hobbies; if you have them before, they’ll help you stay sane when school gets tough! Also, they just make you an interesting person and give you things to talk about in your personal statement or interviews.
What inspired you to pursue medicine?
I fell in love with medicine in my middle school life science class. I remember learning about the organelles in the cell and all of the organ systems and just having my mind blown by how cool it was. I also had experience with the inequities of healthcare; I grew up without health insurance because my family wasn’t poor enough to get it for free but not rich enough to be able to afford it. I watched a close family member struggle to afford their medications for their various chronic conditions until they started seeing a primary care doctor who gave them samples at every appointment so that they could keep taking their medication. My family member’s life was literally changed by this doctor, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.
What is your dream occupation in medicine?
Right now I’m interested in doing an internal medicine residency, and I really like the idea of being a hospitalist! My ideal job would probably involve some sort of mix between being a hospitalist and working as a primary care provider in an outpatient setting.
Is there anything that really helped you, or stood out to you since being a forum user on SDN?
I’m sure a lot of people are familiar with @Goro on SDN! He helped me a ton after I got my MCAT score back and was trying to build a school list. I am super grateful for his advice, as well as the advice of various other people on the forums. I think the strength of SDN comes from all of the attendings, residents, med students, faculty, and everyone else who comes together and shares their advice and perspectives. Because of SDN I knew how to navigate applying to medical school, actually starting as a student, how to study for boards, and how to prep for residency applications. It's helped me immensely throughout my journey thus far.
What is your claim to fame here on SDN?
I’m pretty active on the school-specific forums advising people. I get tons of DMs from people trying to make the decision between several schools. So many people on SDN helped me when I was in the same position, so I’m glad I’m able to help in return.
Is there any forum users you’d like to give a shout out to?
@Goro !
If you were stranded on an island with only a pair of shoes, candy bar, and a stethoscope, what would you do?
I love candy, so that bar probably wouldn’t last very long.
Thank you fldoctorgirl and to all those for reading! It is a work in progress, so if you have any suggestions please feel free to message me!
-PG
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