Self-Advocacy as a Trainee: The Grace to Grow

Author: Rosmi Thomas, DO

As a child, I grew up in a chaotic household, but it brought me resilience and a strong sense of self. In my youngest years, we lived in an extended family home, and my older cousin was one of my first role models. Despite the 15-year age difference, she took me under her wing and provided insight on self-respect that few young people are fortunate enough to grasp. She was the first person to open my eyes to the concept of advocating for myself, and she taught me the power behind asking for what you deserve. Her genuine ability to remind you that you are deeply loved, and her persuasive charm, taught me the first and most important lesson of self-advocacy: you must know your worth. 

As an osteopathic medical student, I was advised on the advantages and limitations of pursuing a surgical residency. As a curious first year student, I wanted to learn more about the process so I attended a club panel of fourth year medical students who successfully matched into surgical specialties. Afterwards, I approached a kind, knowledgeable fourth year student for guidance. Amazingly, she would later serve as one of my chiefs in residency. At the time, I peppered her with questions about her path to surgery. She emphasized that we have different resources as osteopathic medical students, so it is necessary to advocate for yourself. After a plethora of questions about every aspect of her career choice including how to navigate and secure a research position, she ended our conversation with “you should email them, what’s the worst that can happen? They say no?”. This statement shifted my perspective, and was a powerful reminder of the principles my cousin originally exemplified. It is interesting to think that a simple email would be a form of self-advocacy, but it became that for me. Her words taught me another valuable lesson: even when self-doubt and imposter syndrome attempt to creep in, it is important to knock on the door anyway. 

As I progressed through surgical residency, I continued to advocate for myself and this allowed me to gain opportunities that I once only imagined. I began to understand the important aspects of advocacy as a trainee. In training, it is not solely about asking despite the doubt; it is also being able to receive the right help. Merriam-Webster defines advocacy as “one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal”. It is true that as a trainee you are defending yourself and your capabilities, however, I believe something integral is missing from this definition. Advocacy as a trainee is not a one-dimensional feeling of simply hoping for the door to open. It is most importantly about understanding that you deserve to be at the door, the gift of having someone open it for you, and the willingness to receive the gift on the other side. This three-dimensional nature of self-advocacy; asking, deserving, and accepting the work ahead has reinforced previous lessons while also giving me the space to embrace and grow my current and evolving strengths. This lesson remains evolving: you are worthy of knocking on the door, you are worthy of the hard work on the other side, and you are worthy of receiving the gifts awaiting you.

Rosmi Thomas is a PGY4 General Surgery Resident at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine who is currently completing a Research Fellowship at Fox Chase Cancer Center. She completed her Bachelors in Arts in Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rutgers University, Masters in Biomedical Studies at Drexel University, and her medical degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has been involved with AWS through the Surgical Mentorship Program, Coaching Program, and as a member of the Resident and Fellow Committee and Clinical Practice Committee.