Journeys in Education

This category contains student reflections on key moments in their education that gave them new perspective and deeper insights to healthcare.

Sara Phillips (1 Posts)

Medical Student Contributor

University of Washington School of Medicine

Sara is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Reflecting on What Inspires a Career: A Journey to Obstetrics and Gynecology Through an Exploration of Structural Racism in Adverse Maternal Outcomes

Published by Sara Phillips

Medical student Sara Phillips writes a personal reflection, grounded in scholarly literature, that details her exploration of racism as a mechanism for perpetuating disparities in maternal health outcomes. The piece traces discriminatory policies and actions undertaken by physicians and leaders in the field of obstetrics and gynecology to portray a historical origin for contemporary health inequities. Interacting with these grim stories and statistics, she reflects on what it means for her to seek out a career in OBGYN to confront this prejudicial history and create a more just path forward.

The Hidden Tools in Medicine

Published by Lekha Reddy

Medical student Lekha Reddy discovers the “hidden tools” that physicians use beyond the scope of lab tests, drugs and consults. She marvels at the power of a new hidden tool – reassurance – during a pediatric emergency room visit.

Resiliency in Medicine: The Patient Experience

Published by Micky Akinrodoye

Medical student Micky Akinrodoye reflects on his experiences of being a part of the care team for a complicated patient. With the understanding that every patient has a unique story and life experiences, Micky shares his outlook on the type of physician he would like to become in the future.

You Good?

Published by Charna Kinard

Read more to find out how three seemingly straightforward words, for medical student Charna Kinard, represented a spectrum of emotions, feelings and connotations in the setting of national news regarding policing and the Black Lives Matter movement and how this has shaped her path towards physicianship.

Mental Incarceration

Published by Chidera Okafor

Future doctor Chidera Okafor contextualizes her struggles with depression, anxiety and apparent surreality with the world around her, while deftly shining the spotlight again on the often overlooked and unaddressed aspect of a physician’s world: self mental health.

A Visceral Experience

Published by Micaela Mcgregor

Medical student Micaela Mcgregor gives profound advice to other future black doctors who will one day represent only 4% of practicing American physicians.

Conquering the Mount Everest of Education

Published by Kayla Flewelling

Future surgeon Kayla Flewelling describes, in scrupulous detail, the psyche of a medical student as they traverses the learning pipeline, all the while trying to maintain a semblance of sanity, perseverance and perspective.

When I First Wore My White Coat

Published by Russyan Mark Mabeza

As a young immigrant from the Philippines, medical student Russyan recounts his journey, through verse, from his village to medical school and the challenges, lessons and values learned along the way.

Russyan Mark Mabeza (1 Posts)

Medical Student Contributing Writer

University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine

Russyan moved to the United States from the Philippines when he was 15. His experiences as a low-income, immigrant of color are instrumental to his desire to pursue medicine and use it as a tool to elevate marginalized communities. A medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, he hopes to one day be a primary care physician fighting for health equity through policy, advocacy and education. He enjoys coffee, singing, the enneagram and deep conversations.

Mosaic in Medicine

the online peer-reviewed publication for underrepresented voices in medicine