Q&A: Rising Third Year Student

This semester, I am going to be starting my 3rd year clerkships at NJMS. Although the commencement is very different from what I anticipated, I am excited to finally be able to incorporate what I learned in the classroom into patient care. With elective surgeries restarting and makeshift COVID ICUs disbanding, hospitals are recovering - slowly but surely. As a medical student, this is a unique learning experience and I am looking forward to being part of a healthcare team.

In light of COVID-19, telehealth has broken ground in ways many people never saw coming as clinics and practices were forced to adapt while minimizing contact with their patients. Given the efficacy of many virtual appointments, the infrastructure has now been set up for many follow up visits to be conducted virtually, saving time and money for both the provider and patient. Especially with visits for prescription refills or lab results, telehealth provides a reliable and sustainable platform.

"Destiny is for losers. It's just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen." -Blair Waldorf. I know a global pandemic is not something any of us were planning for and no one is expecting you to be okay right away. But it is how you bounce back from difficult times that define who you are.

I've always considered binging television as my favorite hobby to manage stress, but for the first time I got bored on Netflix (most likely because they took off Friends). As life slowed down, I decided to try out some new recipes from different food blogs I was seeing online. I went from following a few recipes and my own modifications to starting a food Instagram with my roommate (follow us at @twice_the_spices). Although our photography skills have not yet reached their full potential, we have truly learned to appreciate cooking as an art. The amalgamation of spices in our food has taught us to appreciate the nuances between different cuisines and dishes.

NJMS is probably one of the most diverse communities I have ever had the opportunity of being a part of. I have been able to interact with people of all different backgrounds with all different interests - an experience that is invaluable when learning how to practice medicine. Disparities in healthcare are real and we all have something unique we contribute to the medical field. Whether it be through research, entrepreneurship, education, or community service, we can all help reduce medical inequality, working to provide the care that is accessible to everyone.