I majored in biology and English in college simply because I love both subjects. As an English major, I took many courses that did not fall into the “traditional” pre-medical school category. I combined my interests in medicine and English in these classes whenever I could. For example, I wrote a popular science article about opioids to highlight the importance of science communication, covering aspects of the topic ranging from neurochemistry to medication-assisted treatment. I analyzed The Great Gatsby through a lens that focused on the narrator’s likely PTSD from the war. In my Life Writing class, I wrote a piece about observing surgery. This kind of writing has given me the opportunity to reflect on why I want to pursue medicine. Here is a sample paragraph:
“A nurse I’ve never seen before asks me why I’m studying neuroscience. I tell her I want to know how we think and feel, how we form memories and then forget them. I don’t tell her everything, because the room is busy, and I am watching. But I want to know why the brain doesn’t work sometimes. I want to know how one person can experience agony at the slightest movement while another can be given a drug and get sliced open without feeling a thing.”
My strong background in the humanities provided me with tools for success in medical school and beyond. As a physician, I will meet people presenting with a variety of complaints, and I likely will not have experienced most of them directly. Exposing myself to different perspectives through literature and film has given me the opportunity to learn about those different from myself. Life goal: continue combining my passions for medicine and the humanities.