Medopp AlumniNewsletter

Issue 2, November 2014

The people. The place. The memories. It’s the friendly faces, respected professors and lifelong friends that formed the tight-knit community that makes MU part of your extended family. You are part of a remarkable network of young men and women. We are proud of you and believe that you and your fellow alumni will ac-complish remarkable things in your life and your community. It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the second newsletter of the MU Premed Alumni Network. This newsletter is part of the initiatives we are taking to create a strong alumni base. We are confident that the news-letter will be a very useful medium for facilitating communication about the activities of both the alumni and students. It will be one of our main channels of communication with you and we hope that you will embrace it. We at the Medopp Advising Office are beginning the 2014–15 academic year with energy and enthusi-asm, welcoming new students and looking forward to the events and initiatives that lie ahead. As we begin the fall semester, we also celebrate alumni taking their first step on the path to becoming physicians. Congratula-tions to our newly matriculated medical students! We welcome you to the alumni family!

Kristina Wright

How to find us:Contact Information:211 Lowry HallUniversity of MissouriColumbia, MO 65211Telephone: 573-882-3893Fax: 573-884-5700Email: Medopp@missouri.eduTwitter: MUMedopp

Dear Incoming M1s,“Probably one of the best

things to do is talk to upper classmen as nuch as you can. They all have been thorugh

what you are doing right now and can give you tons of

valuable advice,”-Jesse Hirner

MD Candidate, MU School of Medicine Class of 2015

Dear Alumni and Friends:

Updates:Last issue’s feature, Jessica Philips, was recently feautred on mizzoumag.missouri.edu for her service!

The Medopp Advising Pro-gram was recently featured on honors.missouri.edu for their support of future MU doctors.

Congratulations to the Class of 2015! They’ll be attending: Allopathic Schools:University of Illinois at Chicago-College of MedicineUniversity of Missouri - Kansas CityUniversity of Missouri-Columbia School of MedicineUniformed Services University of the Health ScienceThe University of OklahomaUniversity of Colorado School of MedicineUniversity of Cincinnati College of MedicineSaint Louis University School of MedicineRosalind Franklin University of Medicine and ScienceEmory University School of MedicineNorthwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineGeorgetown University School of MedicineCreighton University School of MedicineMedical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents UniversitySanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota

Osteopathic SchoolsAT Still University - Kirksville College of Osteopathic MedicineCampbell University School of Osteopathic MedicineChicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern UniversityDes Moines University College of Osteopathic MedicineEdward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic MedicineKansas City University of Medicine and BiosciencesLake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, BradentonLake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Main CampusPhiladelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia CampusPhiladelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Main CampusPikeville College School of Osteopathic MedicineWest Virginia School of Osteopathic MedicineWestern University of Health Sciences / College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

News from Around Campuso New study on the importance of breakfast: http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2014/1015-eating-breakfast-increases-brain-chem-ical-involved-in-regulating-food-intake-and-cravings-mu-research-ers-find/o News on understanding neurological disorders: http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2014/1014-new-information-about-neu-rons-could-lead-to-advancements-in-understanding-brain-and-neurolo-gical-disorders/o Obesity and related diseases: http://medicine.missouri.edu/news/0170.php

MedoppStaff:Kristina Wright

Medopp Program Manager and Chief Health Professions Adviser214 Lowry Hallwrightkr@missouri.edu(573) 882-4112

Susan Geisert

Associate Health Professions Adviser206 Lowry Hallgeiserts@missouri.edu(573) 882-6224

Elizabeth FracicaWho or what inspired you to pursue medicine?

My dad worked as a Pulmonary Critical Care Physician and was my role model growing up. He had a big influence on my decision to pursue medicine from the standpoint that he allowed me to view the field as a viable career option from a young age. My real decision to pursue medicine ultimately came from my own love for and abil-ity to excel in science in high school in combination with my desire to help others. I also shadowed a female cardiothoracic surgeon many times in high school, who mentored me and shared her valu-able insight on what it is like to be a woman in medicine.

What do you enjoy most about medical school?I have found my 3rd year clinical rotations to be the most

enjoyable part of my medical school journey. I am finally starting to understand what it is like to be a practicing physician in each of the specialties. While I am enjoying trying on my “specialty hat,” I have been happy to find I have enjoyed all of my rotations. You will spend the first two years of medical school essentially acquiring a vocabulary and compendium of knowledge, which will be critical for helping you learn the practice of medicine in your third and fourth years, as well as throughout residency. This initial knowledge acquisition process is what your undergraduate courses attempt to prepare you for, and appropriately so- the “drinking from a fire hose” metaphor is accurate.

How do you balance your personal time with medical school?

Keeping a balanced schedule in medical school is critical to your success and sanity! I spend time with friends and family, make time to exercise (especially when I am feeling stressed), and I am continuing to perform. I am actually in two bands and have per-formed for medical school recruitment events, at private physician or Mayo departmental functions, and for weddings and birthday parties. The most important thing is being true to yourself when trying to figure out what balance works for you.

How do you see your medical career progressing in the future? What do you hope to do?

After residency and fellowship, I hope to continue practicing at an academic medical center. I love teaching, and I hope I can one day be involved in the medical school or residency program as a course instructor in addition to my clinical practice. I am also very interested in health policy, healthcare delivery, quality improvement, and patient satisfaction. I am planning to pursue my MPH in the next few years and eventually start my own company to improve one aspect of healthcare.

If you could do it all over again, would you?Yes. I would do it again in a heartbeat because I know this is the

right career for me. Medical school has been the most challenging thing I have undertaken not only intellectually, but also physically and emotionally. You will be exhausted, frustrated, hopeless, and repeatedly humbled, but you will also be inspired, uplifted, enlight-ened, excited, and proud of how far you have come.

Feature:Bachelor of Sciences in Biological Sciences, MU Class of 2012

Mayo School of Medicine, MD Candidate Class of 2016

What accomplishment are you most proud of?I have presented posters at conferences, published papers,

written resolutions on health policy items, educated senators on the science behind legislative issues, held leadership roles in both state and national medical societies, and am working on starting a small company. However, I would not say any one of these things is what I am most proud of, because each singular accomplishment in itself seems so small without consideration of all the work put in behind the scenes. Success in medical school is about making a series of many small decisions that leads to your overall accumulation of knowledge and transformation into a professional. No one is going to congratulate you for these small choices, but that is what I am most proud of because it has led to my success in my courses, on my 3rd year clerkships, and in my extracurricular efforts. I hope I will always be most proud of the positive impact I make on those around me, regardless of its shape or form.

Offer one piece of advice to aspiring doctors?Try to take time off before medical school to explore the

world, get a job, and experience other careers you might be considering. Once you start medical school, you are officially setting your career in motion towards becoming a physician. You should be very sure this is what you want to do because residency programs will not like to see that you took a year off after your 4th year of medical school to do some self-exploration to work on software design. Try to work with as many physicians as you can in specialties you might be considering. Also, think about spending time in specialties outside of the core clerkship areas, (i.e. Internal Medicine, Surgery (most general/trauma surgery), Neurology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Family Medicine) as you may have minimal exposure and little time to shadow in many of the specialty fields in medical school, though this will vary slightly based on your school’s curriculum. Good luck, and get ready for an amazing journey!