As newly admitted students navigating their way into medical school, the most beneficial information you can receive will often come from those who have most recently been in your shoes. Therefore, every year we recruit first-year medical students to serve as our Vital Signs Contributors, helping us to provide student insight. We are thrilled to introduce to you this cycle’s Vital Signs Co-Contributors: Erica, Jenna, and Nicholas!
Erica Hollaway
Where are you from?
I’m from New Hope, AL.
Where did you complete your undergrad?
I went to UAB for undergrad. Go Blazers!
What made you want to become a physician?
Medicine provides a really unique opportunity to combine meaningful human interaction, hands-on work, and lifelong learning. I truly can’t imagine any career path that I’d find more rewarding or exciting!
What made you choose the UAB Heersink School of Medicine?
I fell in love with UAB as an undergrad, so I already felt a strong connection to the campus and to the people here. Also, Birmingham is such a vibrant city with so much history, art, and amazing food! It really feels like home.
What is your favorite thing about UAB Heersink?
We have the coolest events all the time! For example, the ID department just had a fundraising event where they launched their own beer, “Hopicillin.” I also can’t wait for the Best Medicine Show later this month! Honestly, there’s pretty much always something fun going on if you need a study break.
What do you like to do outside of medical school?
My all-time favorite thing to do is to take walks with my fiancé and my dog. We have a few trails nearby that we love, and it’s a fun way to get exercise, breathe fresh air, and spend quality time together. Besides that, I’m a sucker for a good TV show or video game. Right now, I’m watching “The Last of Us,” and I plan to buy the game soon!
What is something you wish you could go back and tell yourself the summer before your 1st year?
I’d tell myself to fully enjoy my free time without feeling pressure to be productive. Trust me, there will be plenty of work to be done once school starts, so live it up while you can. Go on a trip, plan a fun night with friends, or even just spend the day in bed without feeling guilty about it. You deserve it!
What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
I absolutely love the Botanical Gardens! I’m happiest when I’m surrounded by nature, and the rose garden is my favorite place to relax and reset. I even study there sometimes. It’s also completely free to visit, which is always a win!
What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
It can be really hard to keep a routine when our schedules change so much each day. For example, I might be on campus from 8-5 pm with mandatory activities on one day and have nothing scheduled on the next. It definitely keeps things from getting boring, but I also use the phrase, “let me check my schedule,” more than I ever have in my life. I honestly never know what the upcoming week looks like until I get to it.
Jenna Alkhatib
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, and after moving around a little during my youth, I ended up here in Birmingham. I still have my Midwest accent, though!
Where did you complete your undergrad?
Good ol’ UAB!
What made you want to become a physician?
I chose to pursue medicine primarily because of how beautifully the career tied sciences with humanities. At the beginning of college, I worked on service projects that helped me gain tremendous experience in understanding the social context behind disadvantaged communities and their ability to access necessities such as healthcare. From that point on, I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to assisting people not only within the hospital context but outside of it as well.
What made you choose the UAB Heersink School of Medicine?
Aside from it being in my hometown, Heersink has a great reputation for its research. Before entering medical school, I did a gap year in a research program and gained an appreciation for the scientific process. The program’s strength in research made it a perfect place for me to continue my education.
What is your favorite thing about UAB Heersink?
I would say the thing I love about Heersink is how tight-knit of an environment it has, and how supportive the clinical community is to your professional growth. The faculty is always open to getting a student involved in opportunities, whether it be through shadowing or research.
What do you like to do outside of medical school?
I love reflective writing in my free time (I run through a lot of journals), and it was actually one of the things that encouraged me to become a co-contributor to Vital Signs!
What is something you wish you could go back and tell yourself the summer before your 1st year?
Spend a bit of time thinking about (or writing down) what you want to achieve within your first year. Maybe even make a vision board of who you want to be by the end of your first year! It can serve as a great motivator to keep going, especially after long days of studying.
What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
Bamboo on 2nd– huge fan of their Geisha roll and tempura fried green beans.
What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
Networking within the field can be very beneficial, so don’t be shy to reach out to professors for shadowing or research, and attend interest group events!
Nicholas Kummer
Where are you from?
Huntsvegas, AL
Where did you complete your undergrad?
Tulane University
What made you want to become a physician?
This is my dream! I want to be the ear to listen, hand to hold, or source of support that someone needs. Being a physician will give me a skillset to help a massive range of people and situations. In addition to opening doors to opportunities and being a creative outlet, medicine is a consistently amazing and rapidly evolving field of study that I love to complain about constantly.
What made you choose the Heersink School of Medicine?
Birmingham is an incredible community. We have so much to learn from our patient population, and my community inspires me to work hard and be the best future physician I can. I love the south - its charm is undeniable and both the weather and people are warm (although this city has some of the worst drivers - myself included). Community engagement is very important to me, and UABHSOM has a culture that supports my priorities and supplies a wealth of resources. UAB has been great thus far, and I’m excited for the future. Blaze on!
What is your favorite thing about UAB Heersink?
My classmates! We’re such a collaborative bunch - supporting each other and sharing study guides, useful videos, and a beer or twelve. I’ve got great friends at school and I’m so happy UAB brought us together!
What do you like to do outside of medical school?
See friends, water plants, make playlists, volunteer, call mom, sew, aerial calisthenics.
What is something you wish you could go back and tell yourself the summer before your 1st year?
Get your bag up! But also enjoy your time severely and be proud of your accomplishments. Take a breather, a trip, and treat yourself. Your time off will soon slip through your fingers like ABBA.
What is your favorite Birmingham spot?
Can’t pick just one. All the rainbow tunnels Downtown, Surin, Mom’s Basement, Al’s, Pink Poles, Innisfree, Mayawell, Pilcrow, Carrigan’s, every BBQ place and food truck (I haven’t been disappointed), Red Mountain Theater
What is something about being a medical student that more people don’t realize?
While we try to learn to normalize lab values, pare clinical signs and symptoms down to syndromes, and (unsuccessfully) condense humanity to a science, A lot happens out of our control. On top of managing classes as students, we handle a lot of changes, ups, and downs as people. Since becoming a medical student I’ve become more in tune with my emotions and those of others. I also don’t think enough people realize that I’m so hungry. Where’s the lunch & learn?