The Orientation Leaders (OLs) have been selected! They will be working hard to make sure your orientation is fun, informative, and welcoming! We will introduce the entire group through the next few Vital Signs so you can get to know them before Orientation in July. First up, is the OL Director,.
Annkay Alexander:
Where are you from?
Mobile, AL
What made you want to become a doctor?
My dad! He’s not a doctor; very well read in medicine though! Ever since I first mentioned being interested in medicine in the ninth grade, he has sent me New England Journal of Medicine articles about every week. I have a folder titled “articles from dad” on my desktop, but have to admit I have not read them all since school started.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
Anywhere I can be outside in the sun (with sunscreen!) I’ll choose Lakeshore trail, but there are so many!
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
You will make some really great friends in medical school! The next four years are going to be tough, but there will also be plenty of good times in the mix. Medical school was the first time I was ever surrounded entirely by people who shared similar passions as me, and it is so exciting! It will be hard to explain to your friends outside of school what you are going through, so having each other to lean on makes such a huge difference!
What made you choose UAB?
Growing up in Alabama and attending undergrad at the University of Alabama, I always heard great things about the program from people who went before me, and was thrilled when given the opportunity to attend. Choosing UAB, for me, came down to the unique excitement of being in Birmingham and the centrality of UAB Hospitals to the state of Alabama.
Jacob Coeur
Where are you from?
I’m originally from Random Lake, WI. [My family currently lives] in Gulf Shores, AL.
What made you want to become a doctor?
I wanted to become a doctor when I discovered how much I loved working with people during college. Medicine was the perfect blend of human interaction, scientific knowledge, and personally fulfilling that I was looking for in a career.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
My favorite Birmingham spot is The Red Cat. The coffee is fantastic and it’s perfect for studying, meeting with friends, reading a book or relaxing.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
I think that most people don’t realize that I still don’t know what I’m doing. My family seems to think I’m a medical expert, when in reality I just tell them to talk to a real doctor for their medical issues.
What made you choose UAB?
I chose UAB for many reasons, but the most important was the Primary Care Track. I knew that I wanted to go into primary care, so I was excited by the prospect of being able to have greater exposure to those areas during my third and fourth years.
Ala’s Abu-Spetani
Where are you from?
I am of Palestinian origin, born and raised in Madison, AL.
What made you want to become a doctor?
I have always wanted to be a doctor for as long as I remember. As I got older and realized I did well in school and enjoyed science, I pursued more medically oriented classes including participating in the Biomedical Academy offered at my high school, which consisted of four rigorous, medically based courses spread throughout the four years of high school. I enjoyed those classes and saw my potential in developing those skills, so I decided to pursue medicine. The thing that sealed the deal came in 2014. The summer before my first year of college saw the onset of the Gaza War, where thousands of civilians were killed during the month of Ramadan. The widespread human rights violations sparked a fire in me, peaking an interest in social justice and human rights. I finally had the opportunity to take a couple human rights classes towards the end of college and realized that I could combine my passions for medicine and justice by becoming a physician. To me, being a doctor means being an advocate for patients and ensuring their right to healthcare is not denied. In terms of human rights, I believe the best way I can contribute to this cause is through medicine because that’s where my skills and knowledge lie, and the denial of humanitarian aid and the unjust and illegal massacre of civilians is the ultimate violation. In the future, I want to work with refugee populations in order to do my part in providing medical aid to those whose most fundamental human rights were violently rejected.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
All the food places! There are so many different places to eat, so many palates to sample. If I had to pick just one, I would HAVE to say Al’s. It’s for sure a UAB classic, conveniently located for your late night cram sessions and well-stocked with the BEST POTATOES EVER.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
It doesn’t have to be your whole life. Coming into medical school, I thought I would be studying day and night and my whole life would cease to exist. The reality is that if you stop your life for medical school, you will be miserable. I always tell people to continue to do the things they enjoyed before medical school. Sure, you may not be able to do it as often, but with good time management, you can always schedule in free time. Once you start medical school, medicine will be a part of your life forever, so it’s important to not make it the only thing you have.
What made you choose UAB?
Choosing UAB was easy. I went to UAB for undergrad, so I already knew it was fantastic. It’s also close to home, and it is so important to have a nearby support system in medical school, especially when things get overwhelming. Having in state tuition also doesn’t hurt. The thing people don’t realize, though, is that UAB is a nationally ranked school with residency programs in the top tiered percentages in the country. The faculty and staff at this school make themselves completely available to the students and strive to help us succeed. It is structured in such a way to make each student competitive for residency. There is no better place to get a medical education.
Taylor Tucker
Where are you from?
Hoover, AL
What made you want to become a doctor?
Volunteering at a primary care clinic in undergrad. This experience allowed me the opportunity to watch people over time begin to gain control over their conditions and I witnessed how the physical aspect of their selves could affect every other area of their day-to-day lives.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
Regions Field.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
My peer mentor had a great quote about this that I’m going to steal. Medical school is like trying to drink from a fire hydrant, but as you go, you get better at taking sips, and without realizing it school is suddenly not some impossible task.
What made you choose UAB?
The opportunities available here to be involved in shadowing, clinical experiences, and research that are not offered to nearly the same degree anywhere else in the state.
Jacquelyn Hovey
Where are you from?
Birmingham, AL
What made you want to become a doctor?
My mom has had more than one serious bout of illness during my life. She became so ill when I was in seventh grade that she almost died. It took far too long to reach a diagnosis and for her to receive proper treatment; she had even been told that she was perfectly fine and there was no physical reason for her symptoms. Her physicians claimed everything was in her head until they found multiple tumors of her thyroid and parathyroid glands. Her physicians left us feeling disgusted and unsatisfied with her treatment. Then, when I was in college, she developed another mystery illness, even worse than her first, and it became devastatingly serious during my junior year. My mother is 5’8; she’s now 85 pounds. She is being treated at Mayo Clinic and has been discussed as a case study within several departments within the hospital and also presented at conferences. No one can figure out what exactly is wrong with her or how to treat her. It would be a lie to say that we were not frustrated with her lack of progress, but I cannot and will not voice a single complaint against her current physicians. Through viewing my mother’s relationships with her physicians through the years, I have determined that as a physician you have two real options: you can claim to have all the answers and give up on or write-off tough patients, or you can keep searching for answers you don’t have until you find them. You can provide disdain and condemnation, or you can provide hope and comfort. I have seen these two starkly different types of physicians through my mother’s illnesses, and I have seen how significant an impact either type can have. From these experiences, I decided that I wanted to be that second kind of physician, one who keeps looking despite lack of answers or explanations, one who provides comfort and hope because, even though my mother, my favorite person on this earth, is in a worse state physically than she has arguably ever been, she feels seen and cared for by her physicians, and that has made more of a difference to her and to her family than anyone could ever fully appreciate.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
My favorite spot in Birmingham is Railroad Park! There’s nothing more peaceful than lying in the grass and reading a book, with the sun on your skin and wind in your hair. Also, there are dogs all around, which I will never complain about.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
You really are going to have to say no to some things that you really want to say yes to. I was always told that and didn’t really believe it. Luckily, I’ve been able to figure out a way to do most of the things I’ve really wanted to do since starting school, but I know that won’t always be the case, especially considering I’m filling my summer doing research. Ultimately, if you love to say “yes” like I do, you have to come to terms with the fact that sometimes, no matter how badly you wish differently, you’ll have to say “no.”
What made you choose UAB?
I chose UAB because it’s a nationally praised medical program. Countless ground-breaking studies and procedures have been done here and developed here. When people hear the name UAB, they think medicine, and, more importantly, they think GOOD medicine. I wanted to be associated with that, so my decision was clear.
Austin Hughes
Where are you from?
Decatur, AL
What made you want to become a doctor?
I have wanted to be a doctor from a very young age. This only increased with time as I had personal experiences around great doctors by being a patient, observing family member health complications, and shadowing. I believe that being a doctor gives one the unique opportunity to step into some of the worst situations in someone’s life and be a voice of hope for them. That is what attracted me to the profession from a young age and it is what drives me through medical school now.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
Church Street Coffee- good study spot and good cookies.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
I think that medical school gets a bad reputation sometimes for being a miserable 4 years. It has been my experience though that if you take care of yourself (which admittedly can be hard sometimes when the pressure is on), then medical school can be a great experience!
What made you choose UAB?
Growing up in Alabama I always heard great things about UAB. When I started to look at options for medical school UAB was immediately at the top of my list. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to attend UAB for medical school and I am looking forward to the next few years!
Bhavan Modi
Where are you from?
Birmingham, AL
What made you want to become a doctor?
Interest sparked at UAB psychiatric unit.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
Vulcan.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
The amount of time that goes into studying.
What made you choose UAB?
Diversity and inclusion.
Zain Aryanpour
Where are you from?
I am from Tuscaloosa, AL.
What made you want to become a doctor?
I want to be a doctor because I love medicine and I love helping people, and it is the best career option to combine both of these passions.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
My favorite Birmingham spot is Red Mountain.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
Most people don't realize that being a medical student involves a lot more social skills than are assumed.
What made you choose UAB?
I chose UAB because it is a top research medical school and Birmingham is close to home.
Sean Williamson (not pictured)
Where are you from?
Trussville, Alabama
What made you want to become a doctor?
I have been interested in medicine since middle school, and that interest developed into a passion as I had more exposure through high school and college. Ultimately, I found an immense fulfillment and joy in being able to provide in depth support for people in some of the most stressful and vulnerable moments of their lives.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
Oak Mountain State Park. It’s a little bit outside of the city, but the hiking trails and waterfalls are well worth the trip.
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
I don’t think people realize how much camaraderie can be built up between medical school students. The fact that we’re all striving for the same goal alongside one another seems to pull everybody closer together than I would have ever expected prior to experiencing it myself!
What made you choose UAB?
Being from the area, I had my eyes on UAB for years prior to applying. Hearing from older students about UAB’s dedication to serving the community around it (especially with EAB) and its great faculty and support systems really helped solidify my choice.
Devine Thomas (not pictured)
Where are you from?
Kinston, Alabama
What made you want to become a doctor?
I wanted to become a doctor to help those who are sick and hurting and to help work towards a solution for the health disparities in our state.
What’s your favorite Birmingham spot?
Railroad Park
What’s something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
I think something that most people don’t realize is that medical students have a lot of fun. Sure, we study hard and spent a lot of time doing things related to school, but we also have a lot of fun outside of school. We get together to hang out outside of school, play ball together, and go on trips together. You will make lifelong friends while in medical school and have fun along the way.
What made you choose UAB?
I chose UAB because I knew that I would get a great education and be able to work with world renown physicians. I also really like the atmosphere of UAB. Everyone at the school was really helpful and wanted to make sure that students succeeded.