Story Sprints | The Big Picture

We’re studying to become doctors during a pandemic. Schools look different, training is transformed, and there are countless, critical health care issues that demand change — from us. There’s a lot going on for us as medical students right now.

To that end, we thought now would be a good time to step back and remind ourselves why we got into all this in the first place — to reconnect with the big picture. To come together as community — as tomorrow’s physicians — virtually and accessibly, to share thoughts, ideas and observations.

So, we launched our AMSA #StorySprints series last week, and we’re loving what you’re sharing. Check out some of the responses and join in the conversation!

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It consists of multiple moments, from seeing the physicians care for my grandmother during her cancer, to the fulfilling experiences volunteering at a free medical clinic. While I enjoy conducting research, I learned I wanted to have patient care be part of my life.

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For me it’s a bit of an oxymoron. It was a feeling that was cultivated subconsciously throughout my life experiences as the child of Albanian refugees in Greece. It was the doctors working for the local NGOs who with kindness and humanity would check and make sure we had what we needed regardless of our ethnicity or insurance status. Yet, I didn’t realize this was my calling until the end of my college education when I became aware of the extraordinary work of doctors in refugee camps in Greece amidst the Syrian war. I had the opportunity to connect with a few physicians on the ground and the very first doctor who took care of me when I got sick as a baby…who at the age of 67 was still volunteering with MSF in Greece. That’s when I realized that I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. So far I love every second of my education and hope that one day I can give back to my patients the same love, care, and kindness I encountered.

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A great majority of my family members are doctors and from a young age they inspired me to pursue this profession. Every time they were able to relive someone’s pain I felt empowered to do the same. I’ve always been aware of the challenges this career implies but being able to have a positive impact in somebody’s life is worth the sacrifice. Something that also captivated me was the functioning of the human organism. It is so satisfying to understand what and why changes occur inside our bodies in different circumstances. It’s fascinating!

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I’ve never had “a moment”. Though from a family with both parents as medics I watched them as I grew and somehow someway, found myself getting attached to anything and everything medically inclined. I couldn’t and still can’t see myself doing anything better than serving humanity medically! Even after getting a degree and working few years, the unrest led me here and I love every bit of it!

I can’t wait to be 100% involved.

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Hard to pinpoint a single moment where I realized I wanted to become a physician, but the biggest driver when I was a kid was learning first aid skills in Scouting! I was fascinated with the application of science to the human body, and I loved being able to help people out with my skills.

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Agreed about a single moment. I took a career quiz that suggested healthcare as an option. I decided I wanted to work with people and I wanted to be challenged. This started me on my journey to pursue medicine!

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I never wanted to be a doctor growing up–it wasn’t until I started college that I even realized I liked science at all! But later that year my mom found out she had cancer (she’s been in remission for 7 years now!). My experiences with the doctors who took care of her really opened my eyes to the kind of impact a physician can make, and I wanted to be a part of that if I could

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I agree, it is hard to pinpoint an exact moment. For me, my interest started as a child when I would listen to my parents share interesting cases at the dinner table. My interest was cemented after I volunteered with my local community emergency response team.

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I can’t remember exactly because my dad kept saying to me “you are going to study medicine” i guess i just grew with it, but i am actually loving.