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Enclothed Cognition
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Highlighting the Heroes: USUHS Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage. -
Highlighting the Heroes: Robert Wood Johnston Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Christopher Bryczkowski
Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School / New Brunswick, NJ – Bridgewater, NJ
Chris graduated from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) in the class of 2010. He will always be remembered for three reasons: first, he was the guy who people went to for help when they needed technical support - from troubleshooting networks and upgrading computer memory to manually disassembling, fixing and reassembling electronics. He even took on the job of “Quality Control and Infrastructure Director” at the Urban Health Initiative Adult HOP student run clinic. Secondly, Chris is fluent in Polish. He was in one of the last classes who had the chance to do clinical rotations in south Jersey at Cooper Hospital. There were many occasions during his rotations where Chris would spend extra time at the hospital to help translate for Polish patients. On one occasion Chris spoke with doctors in Warsaw and helped make arrangements to have his patient flown back home to Poland to be with his family. The third reason Chris will be remembered during medical school has to do with his competitive nature. He won a nutrition competition for giving the “best presentation,” he placed in the top 3 for fundraising during a week long telethon for the alumni association, and he won the annual “Ping-Pong Championship” two years in a row. Chris is an Emergency Medicine (EM) resident at Rutgers – RWJMS. EM is the perfect profession for Chris since it allows him to work with patients across the spectrum of medicine. He uses his problem solving skills to help diagnose patients on a daily basis. Chris decided to extend his EM training for an additional year to pursue an Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship under the mentorship of Rajesh Geria, MD at Rutgers – RWJMS. It is the perfect specialty for Chris. He is responsible for troubleshooting the ultrasound equipment, teaching residents and medical students, and advancing the field of emergency ultrasound through academic research. The fellowship has also provided Chris the freedom to work with medical students at his alma mater where he helped set up an Ultrasound interest group. When I asked Chris what his motivation was to build a career in medicine, he told me about his childhood. Chris was born in Warsaw, Poland in the 1980?s. He remembers growing up at a time when many families, including his own, had to stand in line for a portioned amounts of meat and dairy products. Common items we take for granted, such as toothpaste, were difficult, if not impossible, to buy. The level of healthcare in Poland never quite made it up to par in the aftermath of World War II. During elementary school he spent time at his grandparents’ apartment helping his grandfather change various dressings on his great grandmother. Sadly, she required such care due to several medical problems she sustained while spending years in a concentration camp in Siberia. This exposure to medicine at such a young age left a lasting impact on him and was his greatest motivation to enter medicine. Shortly after his eighth birthday Chris and his mother vacationed to the United States to visit an aunt. They were so impressed with the conditions that they decided to stay permanently and were followed by his father a few years later. During his four years in medical school earning his MD, Chris had to sacrifice life outside the hospital. There were many times when he missed family gatherings, graduation parties, and various other celebrations because of the demanding schedule of exams and obligations during clinical rotations. Beyond that, Chris donated a large portion of his free time to the Adult HOP clinic where he helped provide free medical care for the uninsured patients in the city of Camden. Vote for Christopher here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: Harvard Medical Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Meera Kotagal
University of Washington, General Surgery – Seattle, WA
Meera took an extra year in medical school and spent that year volunteering with Partners In Health in rural Rwanda. She states,“I had the tremendous opportunity to work alongside nurses providing care at a health center for 20,000 people in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. I learned from them, and from our patients. I had always thought I wanted to pursue a career in global health, but this year confirmed for me how much I love this work. I love the patients, the challenges, and the joys of small successes. I was tremendously lucky that Harvard let me take a year to pursue my dream job.”
Dr. Kotagal knew that she wanted to pursue an academic career in global surgery – eventually helping to develop infrastructure, build capacity, and provide surgical care in resource-limited settings. She also wanted to be well-trained in a broad set of general surgical skills. Dr. Kotagal says,“The University of Washington provides exceptional training — both in clinical care and technical skills. This training will allow me to be comfortable taking care of patients in a setting where I may be the only surgeon for miles, without a senior partner to call on for advice. This broad-based training and the opportunity to pursue research in global surgery as part of the Global Health in Academic Surgery Fellowship Track made the University of Washington “the right fit” for me.”
It was always clear that Meera wanted to build a career in medicine so that she could spend her life serving those less fortunate than herself; not only are is this what Meera says, it is evidenced by her years of actions in this regard prior to attending to the University of Washington. She is someone who ‘walks her talk’ and had done so for a long time. Meera says“Providing health care in settings where people often don’t have access to quality services — and working with the providers there to build local capacity and infrastructure — is my passion. I am not sure if I can point to one single incident that made me want to pursue a career in medicine — but I think spending time in resource-limited settings and seeing people die for lack of access to care continues to drive and inspire me. Just recently, on this trip to Rwanda, I met a 7 month old little boy. He is an orphan, and is being taken care of by another person from his village in rural northwestern Rwanda. For about a month, he had some swelling of his neck, and over the past week he developed some trouble breathing. His breathing finally go so bad that his caregiver brought him to the hospital in Kigali for care. The provider who saw him wanted to get a CT scan of his neck to understand what was happening, but the caregiver couldn’t afford to pay for one. Overnight, while waiting to figure out a solution to figure out how to pay for the necessary tests, the child decompensated. His breathing got progressively worse such that he was barely breathing when I saw him the next morning. By some miracle — and a lot of hard work from individual providers — we were able to get him intubated and into an OR to drain the retropharyngeal abscess he had that had rapidly progressed overnight. He was lucky, and so were we. Many children aren’t so lucky — and trying to make sure that other children get the care they need is what I want to spend my career working on.”
Dr. Kotagal was fortunate to be raised with a strongly supportive network of family and friends. She says“This is a tough one for me. I am not sure I have really had to make many sacrifices in my career to get an MD. I was lucky to be well-supported by family and friends, and really, going to medical school was a dream for me. The only thing that ever feels like a sacrifice for me is that by pursuing surgical training that is long, I am further away from the work I really want to be doing (global surgery). I know that that is key for me to have the skills I need to be useful in resource-limited settings, but not being able to be in Rwanda, or Haiti, helping to provide care sometimes feels like a sacrifice. But that’s not really about a sacrifice to get my degree.”
Meera Kotagal lives every day of her life as a personal sacrifice by extending herself to give to others. Extra kindness to a patient or thinking of ways to make the world a better place in countless ways is built into her genome. She is tireless and relentless in her pursuit to give and improve her world. Vote for Meera here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: University of Miami Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Dyani Loo,MD
Psychiatry, New Mexico – Albuquerque, NM
Miami’s warm globally-oriented climate is embedded in the personality of the UM family, its faculty and its diverse residents. That spirit instilled in her during medical school helped her develop a passion for addressing health care access and mental health in needy areas around the world and learning how to empower disenfranchised populations. When she told faculty that she wanted to design a community-based research project in rural areas of Colombia where no prior health studies/outreach had been done, faculty supported her even though at times this seemed logistically impossible. By taking things step by step to learn the necessary skills and the initiative do work in places overlooked, step by step, she was able to carry out service/research projects in Colombia as well as Peru, and Uganda as a medical student. New Mexico is the perfect place for her to flourish and learn psychiatry. NM as a state consistently ranks #1 in the nation for substance related deaths and the need for passionate psychiatrists interested in pushing new ideas to improve access, outreach, education, and to reduce stigma is immense. NM’s program, being the only psychiatry program in the state, has an enormous catchment area, and specializes in rural and telepsychiatry. She is part of a rural track in which she will be able to pursue her interest in community-based research and as a first year intern in her spare time, she has started doing an outreach project in an off-grid migrant settlement outside of Albuquerque. Currently the community has no access to water, viable roads or entitled city services. Dr. Loo is working alongside community members to address health needs and empower residents through action oriented focus groups. Prior to medical school, Dr. Loo worked at a residential facility for adults with schizophrenia. When she interviewed for that job, for the final interview the program director took her to the complex and let the patients interview her to see if it would be a good fit. She remembers playing basketball with them; it was a sunny day and afterward, everyone was sitting on a picnic bench blasting Jimi Hendrix and making jokes. Everyone deserves happy, sunny moments. And not everyone gets them due to chronic mental illness, substance use, poverty, discrimination, oppression, trauma, war. By going back to school to try and become a leader in psychiatry, she realized that she could work on learning skills to address individual and systemic changes to increase the length and frequency of those fleeting breakthrough moments for people in most need of them. Everyone who enters medical school makes a sacrifice of hard work for years of sleepless nights, but she notes that this is a small sacrifice when inspired by the hardworking men and women that she has met abroad, all working to make change and care for their families in some of the most remote parts of the world. Being the first doctor in her family, she plans on using her education to continue working hard to help others have opportunities. Vote for Dyani here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: St. George's University Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Dr. Christine Ann Garcia
Stony Brook University. Stony Brook, NY – Port Jefferson, NY
Christine received her Master in Public Health in 2005 and began her career with the County of San Diego Health & Human Services in California. Confronted with complex health issues, such as improving access to health care and controlling infectious disease, Christine gained first-hand experience helping communities in San Diego with limited resources and funding. Because Christine did not attend medical school immediately after college and, instead, took several years to explore public health, work with a diverse group of specialists focused on improving public health, and teach English to elementary school students in Italy, Christine’s decision to attend medical school was a focused, mature, and memorable decision. Miles away from anyone or anything that Christine knew, and several years older than the “traditional” medical student, attending medical school at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies for Christine often felt like participating on the reality show, “Survivor.” Braving unknown territories and seeking allies amongst strangers, Christine found strength in knowing that she was following a circuitous route to her childhood dreams of becoming a doctor. In time, Christine grew accustomed to living on the island. It became second nature to drive on the opposite side of the road, brake for crossing goats, and avoid crab holes in the ground while walking home. She met extraordinary future physicians along the way and developed friendships with similar strong-minded individuals who sacrificed first world luxuries to pursue dreams of becoming doctors. Christine found life-long friends and became the “mom” of her surrogate family. She plucked the feathers out of a turkey to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner, Caribbean-style and tended to friends’ injuries from intramural sports. Medical school in the Caribbean was one of the greatest experiences in her life for the amazing academic training she received, but also for the learning lessons that Christine gained as a “Survivor” on the Caribbean island. Stony Brook Medicine is “The Right Fit” for Christine because it is a dynamic, forward thinking program in an ever-changing medical education environment. It is at the forefront of improving medical education, focusing on high value, cost-effective care, clinical research and quality improvement. Christine’s program director and associate PDs are always open to new ideas and changes, making this program adaptable and personable to fit each residents’ needs. With strong support from the dean and chair of medicine, the program is proactive and progressive and continually improving. With fellowships in cardiology, GI, nephrology, pulmonary/critical care, hematology/oncology, and ID, residents have the option to rotate and participate in procedures from day 1. Residents are also able to serve on hospital-wide committees and help develop curriculum and program changes. Christine has received so much support from her colleagues with her research and publication that she was able to author several peer reviewed papers and poster presentations including: Syncope as Initial Presentation of Kommerell’s Diverticulum. Cohen R, Garcia CA, Loarte P, Diaz L, Mirror B. International Journal of Angiology 2012. 21(2):111-116 Atrial Myxomas: A Case Presentation and Review. Cohen R, Singh G, Mena D, Mirrer B, Garcia CA. Journal of Cardiology Research 2012;3(1):41-44. Electrocardiogram Manifestations in Hyperkalemia. Cohen R, Ramos R, Garcia CA , Mehmood S, Park Y, Divittis A, Mirrer B. World Journal of Cardiovascular Disease 2012;2:57-63. Case Review: Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. Cohen R, Garcia CA, Mena D, Castellanos M, Wu L. Journal of Medical Cases 2012; 3(2): 130-134. Cavernous Transformation of Portal Vein: A Case Report. Cohen R, Ramos R, Shazad S, Park Y, Garcia CA. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research 2012; 4(1): 81-84. Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Case Presentation and Review. Cohen R, Castellano M, Garcia CA. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research 2012; 4(1):68-72. Measles Outbreak in a Highly Vaccinated Population, San Diego, 2008: Role of the Intentionally Undervaccinated. Sugerman DE, Barskey AE, Delea MG, Ortega-Sanchez IR, Bi D, Ralston KJ, Rota PA, Waters-Montijo K, LeBaron CW. Pediatrics 2010. 125(4):747-755. Stony Brook is also “The Right Fit” because of the amazing residents. Residency is tough but having great, supportive people to share your troubles seems to lighten the load. Residents become surrogate family, as you spend holidays together. During Hurricane Sandy and the numerous other hurricanes, many residents huddled together at home or in the hospital to brave the storms. They often get together at the end of rotations for team dinners and happy hours. They have also organized groups for volunteering in the community as medical teams at the marathon or at a soup kitchen. While the program itself is structured so well, the strength lies within its strong, capable residents. Christine’s path to medicine has been a long and winding road with rough terrain and detours. Her decision to become a doctor was not triggered by one incident. Her humble beginnings as a child surgeon involved repairing detached limbs and performing “cataract surgery” on Monkey-Key, her most beloved stuffed animal. During high school Christine started working in hospice care, providing comfort and happiness to people at the end of their lives. That experience gave her a new perspective on medicine. During college, she worked part-time as an emergency room technician in a Chicago hospital and was exposed to patients who lacked the resources for preventative medical care. Christine found herself questioning whether becoming a physician really was the right path for her, and she soon concluded that it was not. Instead, Christine headed to graduate school and completed a Master’s degree in public health. Christine then set off on a journey to improve people’s lives through health education and prevention. Along the way, however, Christine became convinced that she could make a greater impact on the public’s health by combining her education and experiences with a degree in medicine. Christine resolved to go to medical school after all. After three solid years working in public health, Christine moved into a small studio apartment in San Diego and studied every night after work to prepare for the MCAT. Christine abandoned a successful career in public health, a comfortable salary, and relaxed lifestyle, to attempt medical school as a second-career student. Studying basic sciences after 5 years away from college was not like riding a bike. Christine was out of practice and had much relearning to do. Finally, after enduring several interviews and waitlists, Christine accepted a spot at St. George’s University in Grenada, in the West Indies. In hindsight, medical school seems to have flown by, even though the first 2 years were not without pain and suffering. It was emotionally and physically draining at times. Living thousands of miles from her family and close friends during the most stressful experience of her life was rough and came with great sacrifice. Christine completed core clerkships (psychiatry, internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics) at 4 different hospitals in Brooklyn. Most students at US medical schools do all of their cores at 1 clinical center, and initially she was not happy to be floating between different hospitals. However, Christine gradually recognized this as an advantage, as she was able to meet great people in each institution. Christine began research at one institution while simultaneously completing rotations at another. In her fourth year, Christine arranged her electives so she could go outside that network and broaden her knowledge and experience. In July 2012, she started residency at Stony Brook University Hospital. Vote for Christine here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: Michigan State Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Gwendolyn Reyes
Hurley Medical Center/Michigan State University – Flint, MI
Dr Reyes graduated with glowing honors from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Her medical school experience was full of memorable service, leadership and academic experiences; however, the one factor that made her medical school experience so memorable was her very first clinical encounters with patients. Early in her medical training, she was struck by the trust that her patients had in her abilities. She felt privileged to have the trust of complete strangers; and from that moment on, she vowed to uphold the professional duties of being a physician and to continuously strive to be the best. Like a hand in glove or a white coat on a doctor, Dr Reyes has found the “Right Fit” at Hurley Medical Center’s Pediatric Residency Program. Dr Reyes loves the small size of the program – this allows her to benefit from more one-on-one time with attendings. The program is also very accommodating and supportive, especially for trainees with young families. Dr Reyes amazingly balances her residency schedule with two very small children – Raymond who is an active 4 year old and Lillian who is not even 1 (but she’s already walking!). Most importantly, the program is a “Right Fit” because Dr Reyes is practicing in a severely underserved community. We are grateful that our community has such a competent and caring physician that wants to work with this population during her training and throughout her career. Dr Reyes is interested in a career in pediatrics because she values preventative medicine. She knows that she can make a huge impact on a child’s life through education, support and prevention! One of the most influential experiences that motivated Dr Reyes to go into pediatrics was working with Child Life – these are the professionals that play/distract kids during difficult health care moments. Dr Reyes often worked with children that were recovering from open heart surgery – they had multiple tubes in place and were on many medications. She was motivated to see how quickly these kids just wanted to get back to playing and how resilient they were after going through such a huge procedure. Dr Reyes has over $300,000 in student loan debt. Her loan burden is astronomical. Her loans are exceptionally high because her son was born during medical school which required to her take additional loans to pay for child care. Understandably, due to this loan burden, her family has had to make a lot of personal sacrifices for her to earn her MD degree. Vote for Gwendolyn here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: University of VA and Drexel Medicine Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Adam Lipman
University of Virginia – Opthalmology – Charlottesville, VA – Charlottesville, VA
From Dr. Lipman:“Drexel University Medical School was like no other experience I have had. It is truly a lifelong commitment to master the complexity of human anatomy, physiology, and pathology, and to compact this into 4 years is daunting. The friendships that I’ve made during this time of my life have been some of the strongest. I believe it is this camaraderie between classmates to see each other succeed under such duress that makes such an undertaking possible and for me has what made it memorable.” “Ophthalmology residency at University of Virginia has been an exceptional experience and has exceeded all of my expectations. One unique aspect that fits to my learning style is the resident clinic, a continuity clinic that allows us as residents to establish and maintain relationships with patients throughout the three years of training. This has allowed me to better understand the course of eye conditions and follow how they improve with therapy. This has also prepared me for life outside of residency where the doctor-patient relationship becomes even more important.”
On why he entered medicine:“For me, the decision to enter the field of medicine was not difficult. I have developed an image of what being a physician means ever since I was three and went in to surgery to have my tonsils and adenoids removed. It is the care and service that they provide to the community, and role they play in so many people’s lives that motivated my desire to become a physician. The fact that I came out of what could have been an extremely traumatic experience to a three year old with such a good feeling about medicine exemplifies the art of providing compassionate medical care.”
On his personal sacrifice:“A commitment to spend the greater part of one’s 20’s buried in studies and learning medicine is something that is difficult to comprehend until you have turned 30 and realize that you will still be in training for another 3 years. That said, I would choose this path again in a heartbeat given the opportunity.”
Vote for Adam here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: Lenox Hill Hospital Chief Resident Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Niket Sonpal
Lenox Hill Hospital/New York City – Hauppauge, NY
Dr. Sonpal is currently the Chief Resident at Lenox Hill Hospital which is a part of North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System. In the next academic year he will begin a fellowship in gastroenterology. He graduated from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland. His medical training is a unique program that provides basic science curriculum abroad and clinical rotations here in the United States. Dr. Sonpal’s major focus in life is medical education and that stems from his time as a teaching assistant in anatomy class while in his second year. He said,“I remember how difficult memorizing this vast amount of information was, and kept thinking there had to be a better way.”
The experience was crystallized when he learned that many students did not pass their exams, and ultimately failed out of school in MS1 year.“I knew medicine could be fun, and no one should fail and get left behind.”
During that time, Dr. Sonpal began a tutoring program for first year students in Anatomy and Biochemistry. It quickly grew into a problem-based peer-to-peer learning system in which the first year students began to excel in these subjects and in fact many went on to get honors. Dr. Sonpal chose gastroenterology – because he feels strongly about preventing colorectal cancer but also plans to practice internal medicine as well. He believes”no one should die from a disease that can be 100% prevented.”
As a first year resident he told me of a story in which he was given the task of delivering the diagnosis of metastatic colon cancer to a 60 year old father of 3.Having to deliver such devastating news about something our society and medical institutions could have prevented made me sick…more awareness of preventative medicine and patient education is needed.
Therefore I believe that experience was a pinnacle moment in which he wanted to do all he can to prevent colorectal cancer. For Dr. Sonpal, his motivations to develop a career in medicine are vast; he loves science, working with people, and genuinely enjoys the act of being involved in helping people feel better. But his greatest motivation stems from his desire to expand medical education in the United States. He is passionate about expanding graduate medical education due to the vast shortage of 45,000 physicians in America by 2020. This drives him to want to expand his educational efforts on a national platform and pushes him to participate with American College of Physicians and New York County Medical Society. He views his career in medicine as a pyramid, where“I can help my patients daily but what am I doing for the other 275 million Americans who need aid.”
All students make sacrifices to become physicians and Dr. Sonpal has also made a similar sacrifice. During his eight years of college and medical school, because of the constraints, a double major and medical school places Dr. Sonpal was unable to see the vast majority of his family who currently reside in India. The silver lining is that his grandmother has had to learn about the internet and became an avid user of Skype. Dr Sonpal communicates with her regularly as she is his “little buddy” via this technology. Vote for Niket here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: Jefferson Medical School Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Matthew DemczkoJefferson Medical School/AI duPont Hospital for Children – Kulpmont, PA
Matt graduated from Jefferson Medical College and truly appreciated the opportunity to study alongside some incredibly brilliant and personable fellow students who went into a wide variety of specialties. This helps to develop a perspective for medicine as a broader field and makes you more a complete physician. After graduating from Jefferson, Matt stayed at his home institution for residency. He has not used this as an opportunity to stay within his comfort zone, instead he has worked dilligently since day one of his intern to better the program he cares about so much. He is dedicated to his patients and to education as a whole, and his program has allowed him that focus. In Matt's own words:One incident that was the greatest motivation to enter medicine – plain and simply, the opportunity to have complete strangers open up to you at their most vulnerable moments and put their full and utter trust in your hands. The type of relationship that creates is unlike anything else you can experience outside of medicine, and I never take that for granted. As a junior in high school I shadowed a pediatrician for a day, and had the chance to see the relationship he had built with his patients over a 5, 10, sometimes even 18 year span. I thought it was so incredible to make such a connection outside of the family dynamic, and knew it was something I wanted to do.
Matt sacrificed by taking time away from his family and his hometown was a tough choice, but worth it to pursue medicine. Vote for Matthew here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here. -
Highlighting the Heroes: Stanford University and Harvard Medical School Grad Up for $25K Award
Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Tust Techasith,MD
Stanford University/Stanford, California – Menlo Park, CA
Tust graduated from Harvard Medical School in 2011. He was a model student with excellent academic performance. However, his medical school experience was an incredibly well-rounded one that extended well beyond doing well in classes, rotations, and standardized tests. He served as anatomy and physiology tutor for underclassmen. Tust also played an instrumental part in the rise of the “John Warren Surgical Society” to one of the most successful student-run organizations at Harvard, which provides information and mentor-ship for students interested in surgical specialties. He was also productive in the realm of research, working in a cardiac imaging lab at Massachusetts General Hospital, resulting in multiple national presentations. While doing all of this, he also found time to be a part of an intramural basketball league team which won the championship in 2007-2008. Tust is currently doing his residency in Radiology at Stanford University. His skill sets and personality are a great fit. He is bright and inquisitive, possessing a mind that can handle a lot of information which is a must for radiology, a field that requires a working knowledge of disease processes that all other specialties encounter. He is a great communicator, a trait that is also crucial because of the radiologist’s role as consultants to other specialties. He possesses a positive, can-do attitude which is contagious to his peers and colleagues. He is also good with computers and gadgets, which allows him to be an extremely efficient radiologist. Tust has been the ‘right fit’ in both the field of radiology and Stanford that he was recently elected chief resident by his peers and faculty. Tust had always been drawn to science and believed that a career in medicine will maximize his ability in a way that can benefit the society at large. His belief was confirmed early on in college as he interned at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX, observing first hand how physicians are able to affect the lives of patients they encounter. He continues to have the same passion in radiology and hopes to be able to use his skills and knowledge to advance medicine in his home country of Thailand at some point in his career. Tust was uprooted from his home country of Thailand in high school to come and pursue further education in the United States. He had to leave his family, friends, and all he had ever known behind. He has had to take care of himself at a young age, having lived on his own since junior year of high school, a feat hard to imagine a teenager being able to do. It was a big sacrifice for him and his family, who still resides in Thailand to this day. He has overcome many obstacles through hard work and determination to become as successful as he is today. Vote for Tust here. If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized, please nominate your candidate here.
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