Given the distinctive educational philosophy and curriculum at FSM, describe how your personal characteristics and learning style would fit the institution.

In school, I had to be “shushed” more than once in the library. I wasn’t gossiping or shouting - rather, I just couldn’t help asking my friends questions or talking through whatever we were working on. I learn best when I can bounce ideas around, process questions together, and learn from others’ strengths. These characteristics would fit well with FSM’s emphasis on team-based medicine. I find their early and continued efforts to encourage collaboration exciting, because I know I would thrive in this environment. Another personal characteristic is that I love drawing on knowledge from different fields and experiences to creatively answer challenging questions. Through research and service experiences that combined multiple interests, I’ve become passionate about interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. FSM caters to this, in combination with my affinity for teamwork, with its progressive problem-based learning process. In addition, FSM also provides room for students to explore passions on their own. As someone who is also very independent and self-motivated, I appreciate the fact that I would have the liberty to pursue my own AOSCs and extracurricular activities. Finally, I have always been drawn to service, and FSM encourages its students to seriously engage with the surrounding community.

Describe the steps you take to reduce your personal stress when confronted with difficult situations.

The first thing that I do is step back, breathe, and try to look at the big picture. Sometimes, in the moment, things that are really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things seem like the end of the world. Trying to distance myself from the situation helps me gain some calming perspective, and also allows me to plan next steps in a more levelheaded and informed fashion.

The next thing I do is identify people who could provide support or advice. I used to naively try to handle stressful situations on my own, but I eventually learned that knowing when to reach out for help actually strengthens the quality and impact of one’s leadership. Many difficult situations seem insurmountable when faced alone, but with the assistance of others, they become manageable and far less stressful.

Finally, I assess what I need personally to decompress. Sometimes, I’ll want to recharge on my own; reading, eating my favorite comfort food, or exploring a new running route all rejuvenate me when I’m feeling stressed. Other times, I’ll want to be with others. The energy and happiness that my friends and family bring me is always the best stress alleviant.

Feinberg's mission is to impact the practice of medicine through discovery and education. With consideration of FSM's goal to train future leaders in medicine, describe your career plans and goals. Be as specific as your current thinking will allow.

The primary path I see myself taking in my future career is clinical practice. I was first drawn to medicine, and continue to be excited by it, because of my desire to care for patients. In previous clinical experiences, I have been awed by the powerful, humbling, and reciprocal nature of the patient-physician relationship - physicians can profoundly impact their patients' lives, while also continually learning from them. Physicians embody servant leadership, and I would never tire of using my strengths to serve patients and provide the best care possible.

Previously, I didn't think that I would ever be involved with academic medicine. However, after beginning work as an assistant clinical research coordinator, I have quickly grown more amenable to the idea of performing clinical research as a physician. The more translatable and patient-facing aspects of clinical research are incredibly exciting, and I've seen how seamlessly research questions can be integrated with patient care. Furthermore, something else that attracts me to medicine is that it is a career of lifelong learning, and I believe that if I am going to commit to a lifetime of learning, I should also challenge myself to contribute to that body of knowledge.