Hometown: New Rochelle, NY
Name of Undergraduate Institution: The Johns Hopkins University
Major(s)/Minor(s) in College: BA in Biology; MS in Molecular and Cellular Biology
Name of Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Residency Program: Neurosurgery Residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Favorite Quote: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass
Contact Info: Instagram: @thespinedoctor
Where are you currently at in your career path and why did you decide to pursue this career path?
Currently I am in my final clinical year of neurosurgical training. I decided to pursue neurosurgery because I found the surgery very challenging and exciting.
If you could go back and have a chat with your naïve college freshman self, what would you tell him?
I would have told myself to ignore the naysayers and to stay positive.
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a similar path as yours?
Get involve with an academic neurosurgeon early. Even if its not the subspecialty you end up pursuing, it’ll help build your CV to make you a more attractive candidate.
What do you like to do for fun?
Traveling the world.
What do you feel is the most challenging part of medical school?
Overcoming people’s perceptions of you and not allowing their perception to hinder your success.
Thank you for your responses Dr. Pennicooke! Congrats on finishing up your final clinical year of neurosurgical training and best of luck to you as you continue to accomplish awesome feats in your career!
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Posted on May 5th, 2018