Month: November 2022
Commemorating Native culture through medical school- My journey as an Indigenous medical student
By Olivia Spaulding What is Native American Heritage Month? Every year the month of November is dedicated to celebrating Indigenous Peoples across the United States. It is a celebration of heritage, culture, and resilience amongst the first people of this nation. Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian and co-founder of the Society of American Indians in 1911, organized American Indian Day beginning in 1915. In 1976, it expanded to a week-long celebration. It was declared a national month-long celebration in November of 1990 under the George H.W. Bush administration. More recently, Columbus Day, which is recognized on the second Monday of October, has been reclaimed in cities across the United States as Indigenous People's Day. You can find more information on the National Native American Heritage Month website. My Journey My name is Olivia Spaulding, and I am a second year medical student at Howard University College of Medicine....
Destination Wellness: The Occupational Domain
By Kyla Wright “So, tell me – why general surgery?” My mouth begins reciting a premeditated answer before my mind has time to catch up. We are only a few weeks into interview season and, already, I must resist the temptation to let motor memory takeover and instead maintain some degree of authenticity in my words. Though interview season feels like an imitation game at times, it offers a unique opportunity for reflection: preparing for anticipated interview topics, applicants like me reflect on their values, strengths, weaknesses, and ability to cope with and face the challenges of a career in surgery. Many questions (E.g., What do you believe is the most rewarding aspect of a career in surgery? Can you maintain a work-life balance?) address a common theme – how will you achieve and maintain occupational wellness in your future career as a surgeon? Occupational wellness is a term that...
AWS Highschool Outreach Event: Becoming An Advocate For Women In Surgery
Earlier this year, I saw an opportunity to volunteer at the Association of Women Surgeons Highschool Outreach Event. I have never before come across a formal mentorship program for women high school students during my medical schooling in my home country, India. This made me curious, and I was very enthusiastic to get involved and contribute. The day consisted of impactful events, including guidance on crafting stories, speed mentoring, a suture workshop, and exposure for the high school students to some of the conference events, such as the Keynote Address and the Starr Medical Student and Resident Research Forum. The crafting stories session was highly informative and offered one on one guidance to the students. Dr. T. Salewa Oseni, a prominent breast surgical oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, led the students through an engaging story about her path to medicine. She spoke of how she was sure about wanting to...
Association of Women Surgeons Foundation Awards Gala: A Wonderful Night with Friends and an Inspiration for the Future
By Kathleen Romanowski, MD, MAS, FACS I had not gotten dressed up for a night out in a long time. In fact, it is the rare day that I wear anything other than scrubs or pajamas. As I prepared to attend the Association of Women Surgeons Foundation (AWSF) Awards Gala, I was excited. Not only was I getting to wear a fancy dress for one of the first times in two and a half years, but I was also going to get to spend an evening with my friends. It has been a long time since we had the chance to gather in the same room to celebrate each of us and the friendships we have forged over the years and reward the best among us. The AWSF Awards Gala was an event that pre-pandemic, I looked forward to every year. It is hard to describe fully what makes it...