Gnyata Patel

Tell us about your hometown & why you chose to pursue medicine.

I am from Pass Christian, Mississippi, which is a small town overlooking the Gulf Coast. I chose to pursue medicine because of my passion for medical sciences and desire to promote health in my community. 

Why did you choose to attend UAB Heersink School of Medicine?

Several reasons: Just from my interviews and the campus visit, I was impressed by UAB’s sense of community. The students and faculty at the Heersink School of Medicine are extremely supportive and always willing to help, which was something I highly valued in a medical school. Also the school has a lot to offer whether it be research, community service, or various interest groups.  

What has your med school experience been like so far?

Overall, I have really enjoyed my medical school experience so far. It has definitely been challenging, and it took me some time to change my studying habits and to get adjusted to the rigor. However, there are many resources and support to help you through this transition. Also I really love the people here. You get really close with your medical school peers, and it’s exciting to go through this journey together. 

How has the adjustment to Birmingham been? Any advice for future out-of-state students?

Coming from a small town, Birmingham is probably the biggest city I have lived in. Moving to Birmingham was pretty exciting for me, and I have enjoyed exploring. There are a lot of great places to eat, and there are always events going on. There are a ton of breweries and outdoor activities like hiking. 

What was your impression of Birmingham before you came? Has it changed since then, and if so, how? 

Besides visiting UAB, I never came to Birmingham before moving. From living here for the past few months, I am amazed by all that Birmingham has to offer in terms of academics, culture, and community. 

What was something about living in Birmingham that surprised you?

Something that surprised me about Birmingham is that even though it is a city, it still has a tight-knit community, especially in the medical school. 

What advice would you give yourself regarding the move itself?

I found a place that was already furnished, so that made my move a lot easier. I think moving in earlier helps with the transition to a new city, and also visiting Birmingham prior to the move can help relieve some stress. 

How did you find housing as an out of state student? 

There are many living options in Birmingham, and there are different parts of Birmingham. I went on several apartment tours before choosing a place to stay. I also asked current students on apartment recommendations. Some students live walking distance from campus while others commute. Another factor I considered was commute time. Currently, my place is about a 10-minute drive from campus, and it has been very convenient. 

Kate Smith

Tell us about your hometown & why you chose to pursue medicine.

I am from Toledo, Ohio. I chose to pursue the route of becoming a physician-scientist, because I want to work at the intersection of the laboratory bench and the patient’s bedside. I aspire to not only help my patients directly through diagnoses, but also indirectly by creating the next generation of treatments for a global patient population.

Why did you choose to attend UAB Heersink School of Medicine?

Location and research opportunities were some of the primary factors I considered when ultimately choosing to attend UAB. With regards to location, I was incredibly excited by the idea of getting to know a whole new part of the continental U.S. that I had never experienced before. Part of the reason I chose to matriculate at UAB was because I felt that doing so would take me out of my comfort zone in terms of geography, patient population, and culture. With regards to research, I applied to Medical Scientist Training Programs with two primary research fields of interest; UAB is a leader in both of these areas. These factors greatly affected my decision to come to UAB.

What has your med school experience been like so far?

Medical school has been great! I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the amount of patient exposure medical students receive. Additionally, these clinical interactions have really helped put the pre-clinical curriculum into perspective, especially when you’re becoming stressed over an impending exam!

How has the adjustment to Birmingham been? Any advice for future out-of-state students?

Arrive early to explore Birmingham and the surrounding area! I’m so glad I had a whole summer to experience Birmingham before starting medical school: the food, the hiking, the music, and the people!

What was something about living in Birmingham that surprised you?

The hiking! There are some really amazing hikes within a 20-minute drive of downtown. Red Mountain has been a favorite for my fiancé and me! Over the summer, we hiked almost every weekend. Now that I started medical school, we still try to hike a new trail about once a month! There is an abundance of trails in Birmingham.

How did you find housing as an out of state student?

Not knowing anyone in Birmingham, I had to rely on online forums to help find the perfect apartment. I really paid attention to the most recent reviews of a given apartment complex. Ultimately, I had to sign a lease for an apartment that I had never seen in-person before, and I am honestly in love with the apartment now! The situation thankfully worked out well, and I credit that to really paying attention to the online reviews of different complexes.

Peter Abdelmessih

Tell us about your hometown & why you chose to pursue medicine.

I was born in Egypt and came with my parents in 2005 to Nashville, Tennessee.  I have been there basically my whole life. I chose to go into medicine because of health disparities I learned about in Egypt after having surgery there as a child. 

Why did you choose to attend UAB Heersink School of Medicine?

I really liked how much clinical and research opportunities that are available at UAB.  The curriculum is also well put together. UAB was also close to home and I got some good insight on the school from another out of state medical student.

What has your med school experience been like so far?

It’s been as advertised for sure. There are a lot of adjustments both personally and educationally, but I think that overall, it’s been as smooth as possible considering everything. Getting to know people in my ICM group—a small group of medical students that you work with every day— has helped me adjust and branch out. 

How has the adjustment to Birmingham been? Any advice for future out-of-state students?

The hardest part of adjusting as an out of state student was how many students were in state and how many of them knew each other beforehand. Also being in a new area has its adjustments, so figuring out where everything also took some time. For advice, I would try to get into contact with other out of state students and get insight on how they were able to adjust. 

What was your impression of Birmingham before you came? Has it changed since then, and if so, how?

I really had no impression of Birmingham before, just stories from the people I knew that went to school here. 

What was something about living in Birmingham that surprised you?

How little traffic there is here! Beats Nashville traffic for sure. 

What advice would you give yourself regarding the move itself?

Find a place where you are close enough to school that is not too expensive.  

How did you find housing as an out of state student?

Reached out to students on GroupMe and other social media. 

Kim Romanoff

Tell us about your hometown & why you chose to pursue medicine.

I grew up in Durham, Connecticut. It’s a small town that consists mainly of white, middle class families (and cows). I always thought that I wanted to go to medical school, but when the time came to apply during my junior year of college, I didn’t feel ready. I decided to apply to do Teach for America out in Denver, Colorado instead. There, I was exposed to a lot of the inequities within the education system as well as the healthcare system. I quickly decided that I did want to go to medical school and focus on improving health outcomes for the underserved.

Why did you choose to attend UAB Heersink School of Medicine?

I chose to attend UAB because my parents relocated to Huntsville for my dad’s job while I was out in Denver. I periodically came home to visit them, and I ended up really liking the warmer weather down here! It’s so nice to be able to go home to my parents’ house on the weekends to get a nice home-cooked meal. Also, after researching the program that Heersink had to offer, I realized that they provide so many opportunities to get involved in the community and improve healthcare for the underprivileged. (In-state tuition also helped a little!)

What has your med school experience been like so far?

It’s a lot of studying, but it’s all things that I’m really interested in! I have also joined some extracurriculars like EAB, CU2RE, and Health Equity  Scholars. I have made a lot of friends, and I have been doing my best to get out on the weekends and explore Birmingham.

How has the adjustment to Birmingham been? Any advice for future out-of-state students?

It’s very hot and humid in the summer. Make sure if you’re buying dress clothes, you buy some short sleeve shirts. Also, buy a small umbrella to put in your backpack because you will have to walk a little ways to get to and from school, and you don’t want to get caught in the rain.

What was your impression of Birmingham before you came? Has it changed since then, and if so, how? 

I was honestly pretty nervous to come to Birmingham because I wasn’t sure the type of people that I was going to meet. However, I have been pleasantly surprised to meet so many students who are really similar to me and really friendly.

What was something about living in Birmingham that surprised you?

The food and beer scene in Birmingham is awesome!

If you’re studying at a regional campus, how does your assigned campus compare to Birmingham, and how did you choose it?
I’m only an MS1, so I won’t be going to Huntsville until the end of my second year. I chose Huntsville to be close to my parents!

What advice would you give yourself regarding the move itself?

Avoid living somewhere where you have to take 280 to get to school. The traffic is pretty bad on that highway in the mornings and evenings.

How did you find housing as an out of state student?

I found ways to get in touch with current medical students or prospective medical students from the area (my interview, “Second-Look Day,” etc.), and I asked around!