On Monday, I ran the Boston Marathon, accomplishing one of my lifelong goals in the last few weeks before my medical school graduation. I found a table with a sharpie in one of the volunteer stations near the starting line and wrote "Lean In, Have Fun" on my right arm for the race. This was a mantra for my marathon, but also a mantra that has carried me through my time here at Emory. When I moved here from Boston four years ago, I never could have imagined how much I would grow during my time in Atlanta. Far away from family and the institutions that had raised me, I had the opportunity to lean into new experiences and to learn from people who grew up with entirely different experience and perspectives. As a medical student, I was constantly encountering classmates, faculty and patients who inspired and expanded my world view. Outside of the hospital, I found so much joy in a running community I found through a mentor which has only deepened my connection to all that Atlanta's canopy, greenery and trails have to provide.Throughout my third year clerkships, I found so much joy in exploring different specialties and learning from my patients along the way. Long shifts at Grady Memorial Hospital were where I was most happy-- many of patients would proudly proclaim, "I'm a Grady Baby," a simple statement that speaks to the pride folks in Atlanta have in their hospital, their city. Taking care of patients here has been humbling as I gained greater understanding of the many barriers to healthcare that exist in the state of Georgia, particularly for women and pregnant persons. Although frustrating, this was only reason to "lean in" more, ultimately motivating me to pursue a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology. As a lifelong athlete, I've always gravitated toward teamwork and leadership and being in the operating room and the labor floor was the closest I felt to being a part of a team again. In our teen family planning clinic, I found joy in empowering a teenager on her first solo visit to the gynecologist, using a role-playing exercise to encourage condom use. On the labor floor, I coached moms through labor as if they were my own teammates. As close as I am to my own family, I was inspired by helping women to build the family they desired while navigating a six-week abortion ban. On my urogynecology rotation, I took pride in helping a patient with Alzheimer’s to feel safe in the operating room during a successful repair of her vaginal prolapse.
At the end of my four years, I am so grateful for the opportunity that the Woodruff Scholarship afforded me and I can say with confidence that I leaned in, and I sure had fun. I'm proud also to say that I will be staying at Emory as an Obstetrics and Gynecology resident and look forward to continuing this work to invest in the community I love.
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