Where are you from and where did you grow up?
Daniel DixDaniel Dix: I was raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (best seafood known to man), but I moved to Mobile, Alabama for undergrad and was there for 12 years before coming to medical school.Bean Woo: I was born in South Korea. When I was 12 YO, I came to New Jersey because of my father’s occupation. I attended both middle and high school in NJ. Then went a university in New York for 2 years, but graduated from a university in Georgia. Then I finally arrived in UABSOM.
Susmita Murthy: I am from Hoover, a suburb about 20 miles south of Birmingham, and have lived there since I was 4 years old.
Helen Cunningham: I was born and raised in Fairhope, Alabama.
Where did you go to undergrad?
DD: The University of South Alabama.BW: I attended Cornell University for first two years, then my mother asked me to transfer to Georgia to live together when my father was relocated to Georgia. So I graduated from Emory University in the end.
SM: UAB
HC: University of Richmond in Virginia
Why did you chose to attend UABSOM?
DD: My decision was between two schools. There were a lot of considerations that went into choosing UAB, but I ultimately came here because it was the best decision for my family.
BW: I submitted an application to UABSOM mainly because it was relatively close to my parent’s residence, the state of GA. However, when I was accepted to few medical schools, UABSOM’s good education for primary care drew me in.
SM: Growing up in Birmingham, I have dreamt of attending UABSOM since I was probably old enough to know what a doctor was. Several of my close family and friends have gone to school here and all of them had an exceptional experience. Among its many attributes, UABSOM allows its first-year students many opportunities to interact with patients – a quality that not many medical school exhibit and one that was extremely important to me when deciding where to go to school. It is also extremely nice to be able to live so close to my family – free food and advice whenever I need it (which is often).
HC: I have lived away from home for a couple of years now, and I wanted to be closer to my hometown, friends, and family.
Are you in-state, out-of state? Traditional student, non-traditional student? If non-traditional student, what did you do before medical school? If you are married or have kids, could you discuss what that has been like for you as a medical student?
Susmita MurthyDD: I am an in-state, non-traditional student. I worked as an engineer, mostly doing structural engineering, for seven years before starting medical school. I am married and have two young children. Having a family while in medical school has its own set of challenges, but it also helps me to focus while I'm at school or studying. It's all about prioritizing your time. I have learned to study efficiently, and also have time to spend with family. My wife is also very supportive, so that helps tremendously.BW: I am an out-of state student, who is soon to be an in-state student now that I got married and my wife will be working in Alabama.
SM: In-state, traditional
HC: I am an in-state, non-traditional student. It took me a while to really figure out if medical school was the path I wanted to take. After graduation, I moved to Southampton, New York to teach tennis. I then moved to the upper west side of Manhattan where I attended Columbia University to study public health while also working in the global health and health disparity department of a non-profit agency, The New York Academy of Medicine. Upon finishing my studies in New York, I moved back home to Fairhope. While home, I worked as a nurse during the day and took the required courses for medical school at night. Needless to say, it took me a few different life experiences to whole-heartedly decide on becoming a physician.
Helen, you are a rural scholar right? Could you talk about that?
HC: Ever since I was young, I have had a sincere passion for medically underserved populations that bear a disproportionate amount of the health disparities. The Rural Medical Scholars Program helped to bridge my interest in public health and my future goal of becoming a physician by providing me with experiences and knowledge focused on the health disparities perpetuating the inequalities plaguing rural Alabama. Because of the Rural Medical Scholars Program, I have since continued to nurture my interest for the underserved by becoming involved with Equal Access Birmingham, the student-run free clinic here at UABSOM.
What has your experience at UABSOM been like?
DD: My first year has been great, and it has flown by. I have been constantly challenged academically and have had to work hard, but I've really learned a lot since my first day of orientation.
BW: Simply put, amazing! People are very open minded and smart. I because I was always busy with other works than school, it has always been difficult to have good friends in colleges, but in UAB, they understood my circumstances and we are still keeping it close.
SM: I have loved every minute of my time at UABSOM so far. Not only has it been great to finally be learning skills that I will use in my future career, but also I have really enjoyed getting to spend time getting to know my classmates. Each one of them has a unique and compelling story, and I can already tell that I have made friendships that will last a lifetime.
HC: A whirlwind. My first year has completely flown by. I’ve made some lifelong friends, studied a lot, slept little, but overall it’s been an irreplaceable experience. I wouldn’t change it for the world, and every day I am honestly so thankful to be here at UABSOM.
What kind of physician do you want to be?
Bean WooDD: I want to do some type of surgery. There are a lot of options available, and I'm trying to explore all of them. BW: Ever since high school, my dream was to become a physician who would help those who are medically underserved. I wanted to do this with going abroad through religious programs, but I also want to make this my career. With the best of my knowledge, physicians in emergency medicine can treat people without questioning if someone has health insurance or not. So I want to pursue that pathways for myself.
SM: Right now I am contemplating a career in either family practice or oncology. Both of these specialties appeal to me because of the close relationships you get to build with patients and the trust that those patients place in you; creating lasting personal connections like these is one of the main reasons I decided on medicine as a career.
What do you like about Birmingham?
DD: It is a beautiful area, there is plenty of entertainment, and the taco truck on West Valley Avenue.
BW: To be honest, I never really had the time to explore Birmingham. One thing that I really like is having apartment close to the school!
SM: My favorite part about Birmingham is that it is such a young city that has attracted many people from diverse walks of life. It is refreshing that everywhere you go in the city you can meet someone new, who comes from a different background and has a unique view of the world. Birmingham’s diverse population is well reflected even in the medical school.
HC: Birmingham is a very dynamic city. It has a great downtown, city-feel with tons of restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops, while also having great options outside of the city for hiking, running, and other activities. The Barons baseball team is located behind the medical school, and the games (especially on Thursdays) always make for a fun night. One of my favorite things about Birmingham is the Pepper Place Farmers Market. Local farmers and producers from all over the state attend the farmers market, selling everything from candles to flowers to vegetables or sweets. Birmingham also has a great population of young professionals, keeping the city lively and upbeat. There is always something to do in Birmingham, if you find the time outside of school.
Tell me something unique about you.
DD: When I was in high school, I helped build what was then the world's largest rocking chair.
BW: I love singing, although I couldn’t have formal training very much. I am not on the bright side in medical school, but I did hear from my college music professors for me to consider going into voice performance career instead of medicine. I also got to perform with the Rolling Stones last summer!
SM: I was a history major in college, with a concentration in early American politics, but my favorite portion of history is ancient Greece and Rome. Best part of my life so far was getting to visit those places last summer!!!!!!!
HC: I spend more time on the fifth floor of Volker Hall than I do in my own apartment.
What is your favorite thing about UAB?
Helen CunninghamDD: At UAB, there are opportunities to gain exposure to any field of medicine that interests you. This is a great place to be if you know that you want to go into a competitive specialty, or if you have no idea what you want to do and you just need to see what's out there.BW: MS1 class!! (Go Heersink!)
SM: My favorite thing about UAB is the sense of community the university works so hard to foster. Medical school is definitely difficult, but there is no reason you have to go through these hardships alone. UAB does a fantastic job of making sure you have people around you, both fellow students and faculty, who know exactly what you are going through and who would help in any way that they can. Rather than the cutthroat, competitive atmosphere found at most medical schools, UAB has created a more friendly and laidback environment, which was pleasantly surprising to discover.
HC: Dr. VanWagoner’s candy bowl and free coffee
Do you have any advice for rising first years?
DD: Working hard from day one will open more doors for you down the road. Don't get discouraged if you aren't getting the grades you want. The system is set up for you to succeed, and you will find your groove.
BW: I don’t know about those gunners, who could make all A&B’s, but if you need to work to pass like me, just remember that med school is still a place that “people live.” It is not impossible, and you can still make a happy life here. Keep your friends, family and yourself in your loop of life. You can bring your grade back up, but people around you is more important. It won’t be long before you realize that those are what kept you going through difficult times.
SM: Don’t let school and all the studying consume you! Yes, it is important to participate in class, study, and learn as much as you can, especially in your first year of school, however it is extremely easy to get lost in it and forget why you came to medical school in the first place. I can guarantee it wasn’t to study obscure biochemical pathways. Take any opportunity you can to see patients, shadow physicians, and serve others – it will help put all the studying into perspective, and hopefully will let you remember what being a physician is all about.
HC: Don’t do any studying or preparing over the summer. Medical school will teach you everything you need to know, and there is no feasible way you can prepare for the courses. My advice would be to really take your last summer off, do something you enjoy doing, and then come to school in August ready to hit the ground running.
Interviews and article by Carter Boyd