Where are you from?

I’m from Cupertino, California, a suburb of San Jose in Northern California.

 

Where did you attend undergrad?

I went to Caltech as part of a combined BS-MD program with UCSD.

 

Why did you choose UCSD and has it fulfilled your expectations?

I actually didn’t apply to any other programs since I was part of the BS-MD program but had I been given the choice, I would probably choose UCSD again. The faculty and support have all been amazing and from an educational standpoint, I feel like I’ve been really well prepared for all of the exams. From a personal standpoint, I’ve met some of the best people here at UCSD and made some amazing friends that I know I will have through the rest of my life. I’ve also discovered my passions in medicine in unexpected ways and I don’t think I would have been able to do that without having gone here. So, TL;DR, UCSD definitely fulfilled my expectations.

 

Are you involved in any interest groups, curricular programs (MSTP, Global Health, PRIME) or IM sports on Campus?

I am currently in the leadership of the Emergency Medicine Interest Group and the Ultrasound Medicine Interest Group. Other than that, I’m a proud member of the Green Flash Academic Community

 

What has been your proudest moment as a UCSD medical student?

It’s kind of a little thing, but I think my proudest moment as a UCSD medical student was when I successfully presented on the medicine wards without being nervous for the first time. It’s insanely daunting to have all of these brilliant residents and attendings looking at you and listening (or maybe not completely) to the words you’re saying about the patients that you’re seeing and it took me a while to build up the confidence to present without stuttering or without my heart beating very quickly. I’ve had some other moments where I’ve been proud of the work I’ve done for my patients or of how well I did on a test, but I feel like that was the first time I felt like I had truly learned something and was able to apply it successfully.

 

What were your biggest fears as an incoming medical student and do you feel you have conquered them? Or, have they simply changed?

I definitely worried about being able to learn the material when I first came into medical school. As people warned me, it definitely did feel like I was drinking from a fire hose. There were times when I felt like medical school was way harder than anything I anticipated, mostly in terms of mental fortitude, but taking it day by day, I found that I was able to get through even the harder rotations. In that sense, I’ve conquered my fears simply by being able to see the finish line. Of course, now, my fears are more about being competent as a resident and being able to maintain a good work-life balance. But of course, that too I will have to take day-by-day.

 

Do you feel your AMCAS Personal Statement still speaks to your passions for this field, or have you developed new insight?

I feel like my AMCAS Personal Statement wasn’t particularly spectacular in describing my passions for the field. Now, looking back on when I wrote my personal statement, I honestly don’t think I knew what this field really entailed. Now I truly know where my passions in the field lie because I’ve had several amazing experiences with my patients and on clerkships and I have been lucky enough to find a field that I absolutely love and could see myself working for the rest of my life. While the words of my AMCAS personal statement are still true, I feel like the strength behind them and my reasoning for saying them are much stronger having seen what patient care really is.

 

If you had to tell your first semester MSI self any advice, what would it be?

I would probably tell myself to relax and enjoy my time. My class certainly had a lot of fun our MS1 year and did a lot of activities together but I remember the stress that we all had before every single exam. I think it’s very important to establish a work-life balance starting from your MSI year and find things outside of school that you really enjoy doing and can keep your mind happy so that you can carry those into the MS2 and MS3 years when the work gets tougher and the hours get longer.