To help you get to know more about the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and its Student Senate, as well as the city of Birmingham, your Vital Signs Student Co-Contributors interviewed the MS1 Student Class Treasure, Vice President, and Class President:
Nadia Pardo- Class Treasurer
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am originally from Warsaw, Poland. I attended the University of Alabama (roll tide!), where I studied kinesiology and worked in a tardigrade research lab. I love to travel alone; I’ll spend hours walking through a city, admiring the architecture and finding cute parks where I can read books. I love historical fiction novels, with a preference for stories of British naval warfare. It’s always been my dream to sail across the Atlantic on a traditional tall ship.
What made you apply to be the class treasurer?
I love knowing what’s going on behind the scenes. I’m very much into transparency, knowing where and how our money is being spent. I also have prior experience working with a small business, so I figured it would be a great role for me. Outside of the financial aspect, I appreciate being in a position where I can represent my classmates and ensure that their voices are heard.
What is something that surprised you about medical school?
I was definitely not expecting it to be this happy of an experience. Obviously, it is loads of work, but I’m surrounded by people who make it worth it. There’s simply a different level of trust and friendship that develops when you spend a fair amount of your waking hours with the same few people, in and out of Volker. One moment we’re taking an exam, and the next day we’re halfway across the world, heading out for drinks on Liverpool Street. Your life doesn’t end when first year begins; you just have to find the right balance with the right people.
Why UAB?
How I ended up choosing UAB was entirely unexpected. I was in London when rumors of Russia potentially invading Ukraine were all over the news and I decided I needed to leave… just in case. I was in a group chat with accepted UAB students and saw they were planning to meet later that week. It was perfect timing. The first night we met, within 15 minutes, I knew these were the people I wanted to go to medical school with. After our second night out, I went home and journaled that I had met my best friend. It’s been almost a year since that first night, and I feel the same way!
What is something you’ve done so far (or that are in the works) as a senate member that you’re particularly proud of or excited for?
I absolutely love organizing on-campus events! They’re a great way to brighten up the halls and lift students’ spirits. I’m working with ODI right now on an event for Valentine’s Day. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s going to be a sweet addition to a very busy week for both MS1s and MS2s.
What’s your favorite spot in Birmingham?
When I first moved here, I would spend my afternoons reading in the grass at Railroad Park. It’s a fun place to people-watch as well. In regard to actual establishments, it just depends on my plans. Paper Doll is my favorite place for a date night, but Mayawell is the best for getting drinks with friends.
Ford Cleveland – Vice President
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in Montgomery/Prattville, AL, and went to The University of Virginia. I majored in Chemistry and minored in Public Policy and Leadership due to my interest in the intersection between healthcare and policy. I spent a gap year in Virginia working as a Medical Assistant and researched the evolution of the cat allergen gene (spoiler alert: it’s cat spit). Education has always been a passion of mine, so I decided to move home and be a long-term substitute teacher in anatomy and biology at my old high school. Now I’m here at UABHSOM getting back into the academic grind. Some of my hobbies include singing (I was formerly in an acapella group), playing video games, hanging with friends, going to the gym, and anything to do with animals (a token of my growing up on a cattle farm).
What made you apply to be the class VP?
I knew I wanted to run for an executive position because I love being involved in leadership. I ran for VP because I felt it had the most 1:1 interaction with students. Every month I meet with fellow students from each Learning Community and listen to their concerns, relay those concerns to administration, and help the Learning Community representatives promote community and wellness within their groups. We meet once a month with the Deans of the med school to advocate on behalf of the students and have direct input in impactful decisions.
What is something that surprised you about medical school?
I was not expecting to have as much fun as I am! We spend a lot of time studying and handling workload stress, but there’s still room to enjoy the time and make lasting connections and memories. Whether it be going out, watching a movie with friends, or hosting a dinner night, the possibilities to find enjoyment during med school are endless.
Why UAB?
UAB is the perfect mix of being both close to home for a quick drop-in (and time with my pets) and close to a wealth of opportunities to chart a new path for myself. When I came to the accepted students day, I could tell that the students had genuine school pride and deeply valued the exceptional education they receive. It’s such an honor to go to a school that serves such a large patient population, is renowned across the medical field, and is in my home state.
What is something you’ve done so far (or that are in the works) as a senate member that you’re particularly proud of or excited for?
Recently I’ve had meetings with administration to improve the curriculum based on our class feedback for future generations of medical students. As VP, I work closely with administration to review evaluations and utilize this information to improve the student experience. Because of this, we’re hoping to continually enhance the medical student experience through improved course materials and community building.
What’s your favorite spot in Birmingham?
Mom’s Basement! It’s not too crowded, they have posh couches, pool, darts, drinks, a patio, and eclectic vibes. It’s always a diverse crowd and I’ve never left without having an incredible time. As for food, I love birria tacos and recommend La Tia Paisa.
Mike Anderson- Class President
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m from the small town of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and I attended college at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where I graduated with a finance degree. In 2018, I moved down to Birmingham, Alabama, with the dual purpose of accepting a job at United Healthcare and moving to an area where I could follow my passion of competitive fishing. My corporate job became stagnant, and through extensive reflection, I realized a multitude of experiences had left a burning desire to pursue the patient side of healthcare. I went back to school to complete the science prerequisites and found my calling to become a physician. Outside of medical school, I enjoy executing different entrepreneurial side hustles, volunteering in the Black Belt of Alabama, and watching movies at home.
What made you apply to be the class president?
My peers inspired me to run for class president. I spent the first two months of medical school meeting as many new faces as possible and was continuously impressed as I learned about the wide variety of backgrounds and stories that were shared with me. I saw the position of class president as an excellent opportunity to foster community so that everyone would have a great four years. Additionally, as the bridge with administration, this is a role where I can continually advocate for my classmates so that everyone feels represented and heard.
What is something that surprised you about medical school?
As you could imagine, coming into medical school with a finance background left a lot of potential surprises on the table in terms of the academic curriculum. I can laugh at it now, but I certainly underestimated the amount of pharmacology that a physician would need to know. We’re talking about hundreds of drugs. On another note, I was happily surprised to see how collaborative and uplifting my class is. Everyone seems to support each other, share resources, and genuinely lend a helping hand inside and outside of school whenever possible.
What are some things you’ve done so far (or that are in the works) as senate members that you’re particularly proud of or excited for?
Over the past few months, my team and I have been able to serve our class in a few ways. Perhaps everyone’s favorite is all the discounts on 3rd party resources we’ve been able to provide our classmates. After about three months, we were also able to provide iPad cases for our class. Ford, Nadia, and I are also planning to launch a rotating schedule of coffee and pastry social hours where we can get to know our classmates better and receive direct input on how their medical school experience has been going.
Why UAB?
Attending the Heersink School of Medicine was an easy decision for me. First, the education we receive is top tier and the research opportunities at UAB are endless. Since moving down to Birmingham in 2018, I’ve made countless friends and feel incredibly connected to the Alabama community. I wanted to attend an urban medical school that treats a diverse population with a plethora of unique clinical learning opportunities. I strongly believe the education I receive at the Heersink School of Medicine will propel my career and I’m genuinely excited to network and learn from the UAB faculty. As an added benefit, I like the idea that staying in Birmingham would allow me to continue spending time with my “little” from Big Brothers Big Sisters.