Hometown: Marietta, GA
Name of Undergraduate Institution: Georgia State University
Major(s)/Minor(s) in College: Biology Major
Name of Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine
Residency Program: Tulane University School of Medicine: Orthopaedic Surgery
Favorite Quote: “NOW” – Don’t wait, do it now.
Contact Info: IAMDRCOLE@GMAIL.COM
Additional Links:
Book: The Med School Survival Kit – How To Breeze Through Med School While Crushing Your Exams
Podcast: Convos With Cole
Instagram: @iamdrcole
Website: IAMDRCOLE.COM
Facebook: Dr. Wendell Cole
Where are you currently at in your career path and why did you decide to pursue this career path?
I am currently an Orthopaedic Surgery Resident at Tulane University School of Medicine. To keep it simple, I like to have fun, and I found myself enjoying myself while helping out with Orthopaedics/doing the rotations. Time would fly by and I wouldn’t even realize that it had been hours. I like the technicality, I like the (generally) motivated patient population, and I like being able to fix something and know that I helped out.
During undergrad I also tore my ACL and wasn’t able to walk around much. I was a person who worked out a lot to get rid of steam/stress/it was just a daily part of my lifestyle. With the injury and not being able to do so, I felt like a part of my self-expression was taken away. I eventually got surgery on my knee and the feeling of finally being able to get back to living the lifestyle that I wanted to live was priceless. I wanted to make other people feel that same way too. That’s another reason I choose Orthopaedic Surgery.
If you could go back and have a chat with your 1st year postgraduate self, what would you tell him?
Trust yourself and just keep trying. You are going to fail, just keep going.
What advice would you give to a medical student looking to pursue a similar path as yours?
Find somebody that has done what you want to do, and talk to them.
What advice would you give to someone getting ready to start their application process to residency?
Stay updated with your CV and finish your personal statement early. Also, sit down and really think on why you want to do your selected field. Then ask why again. Then ask why again… Keep doing this at least 5 times until you dig deep and find your real why.
What do you feel makes your specialty stand out from other specialties?
We love our jobs! There aren’t too many unhappy Orthopaedic Surgeons.
What gives you the greatest motivation to get up every day to go to work?
The fact that I was able to wake up this morning, healthy, in a condition to help other people.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
It takes less time to do it right the first time, than to explain why you did it wrong at all.
Thanks a ton for sharing some insight as to why you decided to pursue Orthopedic Surgery as well as some great advice with us Dr. Cole! You are very much appreciated! And kudos to you on your book and for being present on multiple platforms! Best of luck to you as you continue your residency training and beyond!
Health Career Spotlights Home Page
Posted on October 30th, 2018