The Orientation Leaders (OLs) will be working hard to make sure your orientation is fun, informative, and welcoming:

Mark Holguin

1. Where are you from?
I am from Ontario, California and I pretty much lived there my whole life before moving to Birmingham.

2. What made you want to become a doctor?
I wanted to become a doctor so that I can use my love for people and my pursuit of knowledge together to try and help people live healthier and happier lives.

3. What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
One of my favorite spots in Birmingham is Railroad Park. I enjoy the ability to walk around the park with friends and just enjoy the outdoors.

4. What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
That even though there is a huge time commitment in regards to the demands of medical school, there is still time to do activities that you enjoy. I try to make it a priority to study efficiently so that I can make time for my friends. I am intentional with my time so that I can incorporate activities that bring me joy.

5. What made you choose UAB?
I chose UAB because I felt that this is the school that would allow me to achieve my goals and prepare me to become the best physician that I can be. I did this due to the teaching hospital, and all the opportunities that are available by being so close to such a large hospital.

6. What are some of the difference you’ve noticed in being a professional school student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergrad or graduate school student?
I feel that the differences between medical school and undergraduate are quite numerous. The first being that the number of students that you will interact with are a lot less. In addition, you will see the same people more periodically than what most are used to in undergraduate. Another key difference, is the pace of the material. Whereas, in undergraduate a certain topic might take a month to cover, in medical school the same topic will be covered in two hours. Lastly, you have more freedom in medical school about you attending lectures.The Orientation Leaders (OLs) will be working hard to make sure your orientation is fun, informative, and welcoming:

Madison Bruce

1. Where are you from?
Albertville

2. What made you want to become a doctor?
I grew up in a family that always put love first no matter what. When my brother got diagnosed with autism, we started spending a lot of our time at doctors’ offices. When we were there, I felt so loved and cared for and I knew that caring for people as they cared for our family was something I could look forward to for the rest of my life. As I have grown, have realized how rewarding it is to connect with people and care for someone that is in such a vulnerable state. I look forward to new interactions and relationships with patients every day.

3. What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
Saigon Noodle House or Saturn, which includes a bar, venue, and coffee shop in Avondale!! I go to both at least once a week for sure.

4. What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
Most people don’t realize how fun this journey is! When you tell people that you’re going to be a doctor, their first reaction is usually “wow that’s a lot of school.” While, yeah, it is a lot of school, I am able to spend time with almost 200 people that have a lot of the same interests as I do, and we get to work together when things get tough! We also get to do fun things after tests and a good nap. Although it’s a much different phase of life than most people my age, I remind myself every day that these years pass no matter what, but I am grateful to be surrounded by people with a common goal that always support me!

5. What made you choose UAB?
I chose UAB mostly because of how I felt after second look weekend. It’s hard to judge a school based on how you feel when you come for interviews because you’re actually too stressed and anxious to even think. However, at second look weekend I had the opportunity to actually interact with the MS1s and staff to get a better idea of what life would be like at UAB. There, I was affirmed of the many opportunities like learning communities, ICM groups, and small and large groups that set UAB apart by ensuring you feel an integral part of an almost 200-person class. Further, there I learned more about the mentorship program which all incoming MS1s receive a mentor from the class above them. For these reasons and more, I knew UABSOM would be the ideal place full of people that would become my people and support my career as an aspiring physician.

6. What are some of the difference you’ve noticed in being a professional school student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergrad or graduate school student?
We get cooler t-shirts and jackets as professional students for sure! But really, as a professional student it all starts to make sense and the whole journey finally feels worth it. You wake up every day and realize that you made it, and you’re one step closer to living your dream every day instead of sitting in a library trying to figure out why you’re memorizing some organic chemistry reaction. This part of the journey is the best, and well worth the wait.

Ryan Wong

1. Where are you from? 
Huntsville

2. What made you want to become a doctor?
I really loved science and working with my hands, but I am bad at math. So engineering wasn’t an option. Law school seemed too short and I wanted to be a student forever. Thus, medical school was a great compromise and the best part is being able to see the direct changes medicine has on peoples’ quality of life.

3. What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
When I am not in Volker Hall hiding from the sun, I like to go to the Lakeview District for the food and stay for the culture. If that’s not your thing, The Red Cat has good coffee and a view.

4. What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
I just started school, so I have no idea what that spot on your back is and I don’t know how to use any of the cool equipment in a doctor’s office. But, those rare genetic mutations that cause unheard unusual symptoms? I got you, fam.

5. What made you choose UAB?
The city of Birmingham has a lot to offer to anyone and everyone. Foodies, hikers, families, and statue enthusiasts all will have a great time discovering Birmingham.

6. What are some of the difference you’ve noticed in being a professional school student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergrad or graduate school student?
Expectations are mainly created and maintained by you and don’t come from a teacher or a boss telling you what to do every single day. The best part is you can make medical school as peaceful or as intense as you desire.
I’ve never valued sleep as much as I have in medical school. There is a finite amount to caffeine and all-nighters your body can sustain, and that limit is 3. Interpret that as you wish.

Shirley Zhang

1. Where are you from?
Vestavia Hills

2. What made you want to become a doctor?
Medicine has always been a constant in my life due to the influence of my parents and brother working in the medical field, so I developed an interest at a very young age. I decided to pursue medicine due to its ability to combine my live for science with my passion for helping others.

3. What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
Railroad Park

4. What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
You can have fun as a medical student! Medical school is what you make it. You have to work hard, but it is also important to enjoy life.

5. What made you choose UAB?
UAB has always been near and dear to my heart. I grew up coming to the UAB Rec and going to summer camps held by UAB. My brother also went to UABSOM for medical school and my dad did residency here. I have had nothing but positive experiences at UAB and my brother and dad have constantly talked about the top-notch medical education they received here at UAB. I knew that there was nowhere else I wanted to go.

6. What are some of the difference you’ve noticed in being a professional school student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergrad or graduate school student?
Being a professional school student significantly raises expectations compared to being an undergraduate or graduate school student. As a professional school student, and more specifically as a medical student, you are training to go into a field where you will be looked up to as a role model and a trusted caretaker. As a result, professional school students face higher pressures and must maintain a level of professionalism in everyday life.

Alex Garcia

1. Where are you from?
I am from Madison and attended James Clemens High School.

2. What made you want to become a doctor?
I love medicine for many reasons. Here are some of them:

• Medicine is one of the few careers where your sole purpose is to improve the lives of others.
• Medicine is complicated and endlessly detailed, but once you understand it, it is like knowing a language that only few others understand.
• Medicine is all about life and with life comes the highest highs and the lowest lows and you get to be a part of both.
• Medicine attracts a bunch of weirdos, so being a weirdo is acceptable.
• Medicine is important and something to be proud of!

3. What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
I love going out to eat with my wife Natalie, who is also a medical student, and we don’t necessarily have a favorite spot but here are some bomb restaurants in Bham: Bamboo on 2nd, Little Donkey, Chez Fonfon, Ollie Irene, and you can never forget Taco Mama.

4. What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
Medical school has parties, like a lot of parties.

5. What made you choose UAB?
I chose UAB because it is a top ranked, nationally known university and has every opportunity to pursue any field of medicine.

6. What are some of the difference you’ve noticed in being a professional school student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergrad or graduate school student?
I have noticed responsibility for time management, assignments, and studying is much more placed on the student. As medical students we are treated as doctors in training, not students training to be doctors.

James Harris

1. Where are you from?
Birmingham

2. What made you want to become a doctor?
I grew up always wanting to fix things, and I had an innate desire to be a problem solver. In high school, I had the opportunity to be a patient of a doctor who had a very big influence on my life. He became a mentor to me, and I was able to witness the incredible impact that he could make on a patient’s life. He motivated me to combine my problem-solving mindset with my desire to directly serve others. This led to my decision to obtain a degree in materials engineering before attending medical school. I now have the opportunity to combine my strengths with science so that I can approach medicine with a unique perspective and ultimately have a large impact on people’s lives as a future doctor.

3. What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
Oak Mountain State Park –great mountain biking trails right outside the city.

4. What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
There are opportunities to get free food just about every single day.

5. What made you choose UAB?
I always heard about UAB when I was growing up. As I got older, I began to realize how great of a hospital we had in the heart of our city. Several people who I really looked up to also went to UAB for medical school. When I began applying for medical school, I knew that UAB would be at the top of my list. I am very grateful to be back in Birmingham at a great institution like UAB.

6. What are some of the difference you’ve noticed in being a professional school student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergrad or graduate school student?
In college, there are always 1,000 things going on and it feels like you can be pulled in all different directions. As a medical student, there is one big overarching goal and you are able to put all of your focus towards that one thing. Also, all of the professors, faculty, and staff in medical school are much more accessible to students.

Wendy Feng

1. Where are you from?
Vestavia Hills

2. What made you want to become a doctor?
When I was a child, someone very close to me was diagnosed with cancer. Experiencing this emotional rollercoaster with my family, witnessing ways in which advances in medicine and technology can positively impact others, and an innate interest in the biological sciences together cemented my decision to pursue in medical school.

3. What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint. They got me hooked on their beer card; it really is an ingenious marketing move.

4. What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
Learning and practicing medicine is a privilege, not a right.

5. What made you choose UAB?
I spent my childhood around UAB, visiting my father in his office and receiving care from various UAB physicians. After leaving Alabama for undergrad, I was eager to return to UAB for medical school as it was somewhere that I felt comfortable and in which trusted. In addition, UAB has risen to one of the top medical intuitions in both clinical care and in its research endeavors.

6. What are some of the difference you’ve noticed in being a professional school student (expectations, pressures, visibility, etc.) than those of an undergrad or graduate school student?
Almost everything you do in medical school has an implication in your future career, i.e. your classes and extracurricular activities are more focused. In undergrad or graduate school, there is less of an emphasis on commitment, whereas professional school (medical school, in particular) requires a mastering of the material as our understanding of and ability to apply our knowledge will be used impact the lives of others.