Hometown: Chesapeake, VA, but I grew up all over the US (and in Germany!) because my dad was military.
Name of Undergraduate Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major(s)/Minor(s) in College: BSPH in Nutrition, Minors in Chemistry and Spanish for the Health Professions
Name of Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine
Favorite Quote: I love quotes–so this changes often. But right now my motivation is coming from Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Additional Links: Blog – Work Hard, and Flourish
Where are you currently at in your career path and why did you decide to pursue this career path?
I am currently a second year medical student. I actually didn’t consider medicine as a career choice until I was a freshman in college. My mom (a nurse) convinced me to consider being a doctor because I always loved science, but at first I wasn’t sure that medicine was a good fit for me. After joining a pre-medical club and doing a pre-medical summer program, I realized that my mom was right. I chose medicine after realizing that it would be the best way to combine my love for science with my passion for helping others (as cliché as that sounds). And now I can’t imagine myself doing anything else!
If you could go back and have a chat with your naïve college freshman self, what would you tell her?
I’m big on planning, and whenever things didn’t go as planned I found myself feeling super stressed out. I wish I had someone to tell me over and over again that everything happens for a reason and that in the end things will work out the way they are meant to work out.
What advice would you give to someone getting ready to start their application process to medical schools?
START EARLY. Seriously. You’ll feel so much better after you’ve submitted your application, and if you’re still in undergrad (like I was when I applied), it’s a nice feeling to have your primary application done before your senior year starts. My other piece of advice would be to stay organized. I kept an excel spreadsheet with facts about the schools I applied to, because the application process can be kind of overwhelming at times. I found that keeping a spreadsheet helped prevent me from mixing up important details about the different schools I applied to.
Do you have any passions outside of school? If so, what are they?
I love to travel, and I hope one day I can visit 6 continents (not sure about committing to going to Antarctica because I’m not a fan of the cold). I also like to draw or paint when I have some free time.
What do you feel is the most challenging part of medical school? The easiest part?
I think by far the most challenging thing about medical school is the sheer amount of information that we are required to process, understand, and apply. I actually think the easiest part of medical school has been making new friends. All of my classmates have the same class schedule for the first year and a half so we see each other daily and got to know each other pretty quickly. Also, going through tough times together during pre-clerkship classes will really bring you close to your classmates. I’ve heard people say some of the closest friends you’ll make are made in medical school and I can definitely see that holding true for me.
Thank you so much for sharing a piece of yourself with us Simone! I'm sure a good number of those reading this will be able to connect with what you had to say!
Health Career Spotlights Home Page
Posted on November 28th, 2016