COLORADO · HIGH SCHOOL
Martial arts, musicals and STEM
I spent the first part of my life in Colorado. In high school I taught martial arts, danced and acted in school musicals, and loved STEM. My husband, Jonah, and I met our senior year while interviewing for a leadership program at the University of Colorado in Boulder. We were both accepted, and decided to pursue our shared goal of medicine together.
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER
Psychology, dance and paying rent
Going to college with Jonah was a life saver after growing up in a dysfunctional household. My passion to understand trauma led me to a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and the stress of the pre-medical path led me to a minor in dance. Our parents had saved for tuition, but we worked for our living expenses. We lived and worked as resident advisors in the dormitories, and I worked as a caregiver for older adults.
TWO GAP YEARS
Married, working, and retaking the MCAT
After graduation we took two gap years to get married, work full time and apply to medical school. I worked as a bilingual case manager for children with disabilities and retook the MCAT.
RUSH MEDICAL COLLEGE · M1
Chicago, COVID-19 and weekly therapy
Jonah and I were accepted into our favourite medical school, Rush Medical College, and moved to Chicago with our dogs Midnight and Eclipse. First year was challenging, to say the least. Weekly therapy is what got me through it. Even with the onset of COVID-19 I held on to leadership and volunteer work supporting Chicago's homeless community, and co-founded the Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity (CHHRGE).
M2 · DIAGNOSIS
The Sex and Reproduction block
Second year started with the Sex and Reproduction block, which was the beginning of uncovering my pelvic pain conditions. After multiple doctor appointments and a laparoscopic surgery I was diagnosed with endometriosis and infertility. I struggled greatly with my academics while also addressing my physical and mental health. After failing and successfully retaking two block exams, I decided to take a leave of absence from medical school to focus on my health.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Failing Step 1 by one point, then passing it
During my leave I took the first board exam, Step 1. I failed it by one point, which was emotionally devastating. After a lot of healing, therapy and studying, I was able to retake it with accommodations for my medical condition. The leave was healing. I finally had the time to look after myself physically and mentally.
After months of fighting with my insurance company, I got my ovarian egg stimulation and freezing covered. I am now advocating for health insurance to cover fertility medication for every medical student who needs it.
For work during the leave I became a movement instructor, teaching Zumba, kickboxing and yoga to underserved communities in Chicago. I taught hip hop to elementary school students at the West Side YMCA, Zumba for seniors at a neighbourhood centre, and Latin dance in the Latinx community. I also worked as a medical assistant at a pain clinic, which gave me a far greater appreciation of the chronic pain world. There I witnessed medical gaslighting by my coworkers, and that lit another flame to educate the medical community on trauma-informed care.
M3 & M4 · CLINICAL YEARS
Neurology to psychiatry, and a decision
After passing Step 1 I returned from my leave and began third year with one goal: decide whether to pursue family medicine or psychiatry, or a combination of both. Four weeks of neurology. Eight weeks of internal medicine, split between Cook County Community Hospital and Rush. Four weeks of psychiatry, four of family medicine, eight of pediatrics, six of OB/GYN, eight of surgery, and three weeks of infertility egg preservation through follicle stimulation and freezing.
MATCH & GRADUATION
Matched into psychiatry
October to January was residency interview season. In March I matched into psychiatry. In April I graduated with my MD, and in June I started residency.
RESIDENCY · NOW
Chief resident for academics
I am a PGY-3 psychiatry resident at Rosalind Franklin University and the current chief resident for academics, previously chief for medical student education and resident wellness. Everything in the store and on the blog is the map I wish someone had handed me.
