Finding Joy in Food and Culture During Residency

By Dr. Victoria Prete

This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’ is a sentiment commonly attributed to Hippocrates and often preached in medicine, but rarely followed by residents and fellows. The stress of training, combined with limited time and access to quality food, makes prioritizing delicious meals difficult if not impossible. Like most first- and second-generation Asian-Americans, much of my life revolves around sharing food as part of a community. While I sacrifice much of myself to training, I hold onto my love of food and this link to my heritage. Food plays a pivotal role in Asian culture, serving as more than sustenance for the body; food provides a means of replenishing the soul.

Throughout my life, my mother showed support using the primary love language of many Asian parents, food. She, like many immigrants, overcame the barriers of war and poverty. She experienced malnutrition and food scarcity that, because of her, I will never know. My mother immigrated to the US following mass genocide in her country. She never completed high school and often expressed guilt at being unable to help me with schoolwork and applications. Through food, she demonstrates unyielding support. Starting residency, I moved to Mississippi and now live over 1,000 miles away from my family. Food provides a conduit for caring, traversing distance and time. My mother visits every few months; each time she brings 10 pounds of dried beef and any food unavailable locally. She once brought 20 mangos because “they were the perfect level of sweetness.” During her visits, she hosts a giant hot-pot night for me and my co-residents. She takes immense pride in her culinary skills, spending over a day preparing each meal. At these dinners, she sits integral to my success and happiness; In a room full of doctors teaching them how to enjoy hot pot, she listens as we discuss medicine, life, and our daily struggles.

My mother taught me to cook at a young age, and I attempt to emulate her in my daily life. However, relocating for residency significantly changed my culinary landscape. Previously, I lived in places with a robust Asian population. For training, I moved to a city with an Asian population of <1%. Accustomed to a plethora of Asian restaurants and stores, it feels foreign to have a singular option for the foods I consider comfort cuisine. Despite these limitations, some of my best memories from residency involve sharing homemade dishes with colleagues. I take pleasure in making sweets for special occasions or planning potlucks for the holidays. To celebrate the end of a rotation, I spent two days making Bánh Xèo because my team asked to experience Khmer food. For Chinese New Year, my all-female night team came over to try dim sum for the first time. In these moments that lie at the intersection of food and culture, I feel immeasurable support and acceptance.

Resident wellness is often discussed but remains elusive. The ACGME emphasizes initiatives that support psychological, emotional, and physical well-being. For me, eating and sharing classic Asian cuisine encompasses each aspect of wellness. Surgical residency requires commitment and sacrifice. Therefore, identifying elements that remind you of yourself outside of medicine remains paramount to wellness, whether that be food, music, art, sports, or anything in between.

About the Author: Dr. Victoria Prete

Victoria Prete is a fourth-year General Surgery Resident at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS. Victoria is originally from Massachusetts and attended the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She is a proud first-generation Asian-American and comes from a long line of amazing cooks. She learned to cook from two of the most influential women in her life, her mother and her aunt. These two resilient women scrounged for herbs and spices during the Khmer Rouge to help feed themselves and the other prisoners in the forced labor camp where they were held captive. Through food, they emphasized the importance of physical nourishment, as well as caring for others.