Faith.

---

Timberly Butler, MD
Obstetrics & Gynecology

Medical School
Wake Forest University School of Medicine

What made your journey to medical school unique? What difficulties did you face along the way, and how did you overcome them?
I initially planned on going straight to medical school after graduating from North Carolina Central University (NCCU). However, my MCAT score wasn't as high as I hoped and I had a very difficult interview season. I ended up getting wait-listed at two medical schools. My application to Wake Forest was rejected, but I got an email saying they sent my application to their one-year post-baccalaureate program. I had never considered an alternate path to medical school, but once I interviewed, I thought it was a perfect fit. I really struggled between holding out for a spot off the wait-list or going to do a post-bacc. After a lot of prayer and talking with my family and mentors at NCCU, I decided to do the post-bacc. Looking back, the post-bacc was so instrumental in rebuilding my academic confidence after not doing as well as I wanted on the MCAT. The relationships I cultivated during that program served me well throughout medical school.

What advice would you give to an undergraduate or medical student who is interested in pursuing medicine? 
The journey to medical school is a long one, so be sure you know what you're signing up for! Find a mentor and get involved in shadowing. Most importantly, know that your journey might not look like everyone else's. I truly believe that if God has placed the desire in your heart to be a physician, He will fulfill that promise. ​

---

Aaron Doctor

Hometown
St. Helena Island, SC

Medical School
Morehouse College of Medicine

How does "faith" represent your journey to medical school?
Faith has been the foundation for my success thus far. Experts would suggest that it would be impossible to matriculate into medical school based on the environment in which I grew up. I came from an area that is heavily infiltrated with drug use and violence; a single parent home living at the poverty level; and, a culture that encourages manual labor as a career choice. Although I was faced with those challenges, I had a mother who prayed often and inspired a sense of spirituality in me. From that, I developed the faith that I carry with me every day. That faith gives me the ability to first, think about the impossible; and secondly, believe it will happen. Those thoughts, coupled with hard work, have allowed me to experience a life thus far that one could only dream of. I am humbled to be a black medical student and I am grateful for the opportunities that it allows. I hope in reading this story, one will be inspired to continue working hard while believing in the perceived impossible… whatever that might be.

---

Alice Esame, MD
Family Medicine

Medical School
Howard University College of Medicine

What made your journey to medical school unique? What difficulties did you face along the way, and how did you overcome them?
It wasn't until my junior year of college that I realized that I'd have to sit out a year because I didn't take the MCAT in time. I applied to medical school during my first year out and wasn't accepted. I paid for a tutor, studied "harder" and scored a measly 1 point higher for a grand total of 24 which by the grace of God, got me in. Those two years were difficult, to say the least, because I couldn’t always see my dream materializing. I did however keep believing, pushing and praying. I find that recipe often works.

What advice would you give to an undergraduate or medical student who is interested in pursuing medicine? 
If this truly is your dream, attain it!! Surround yourself with equally motivated people, and spend as much time as you can with people who do what you aspire to.

---

Sacrifice.

---

Trisha Mathelier

Medical School
Charles Drew University/David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
​
What made your journey to medical school unique? What difficulties did you face along the way, and how did you overcome them?
Like many undergraduates, I had a difficult time settling on a major. Even when I did make my decision, I still wasn't satisfied and tried to sit down with one of the biology advisors. We talked about my goals, why I was considering switching majors, and also my plans to go to medical school. We were supposed to be talking about my major which is why I got caught off guard when she started intensely drilling me about my medical school dreams. Ultimately, she told me that she felt that I should rethink my medical school goals and that if I want to help people I should consider being a nurse instead since she didn't think I'd be able to keep up academically in medical school. I decided not to switch majors and continued on my path as a pre-med. I ignored her opinions and anyone else's who were not supportive of my endeavors and instead used their doubt to push myself even harder. Now I'm a third year medical student at my first choice school and I couldn't be happier.

What advice would you give to an undergraduate or medical student who is interested in pursuing medicine? 
Keep in mind that not everyone will have your best interest at heart. Not everyone will want to see you succeed, whether its a classmate, advisor, boss or "friend". At the end of the day surround yourself with those who are like-minded, equally ambitious, and want to see you win!

---

---

---

Resilience.

---

Monqiue Dieuvil, MD
Family Medicine

Medical School
University of Florida College of Medicine

What difficulties have you faced on your medical career journey and how did you overcome them?
I switched specialties from Ob-Gyn to Family Medicine. I listened to a lot of mentors and had resilience. 

Your advice for future medical students:
Find your mentors EARLY!

---

Hometown
Waldorf, MD

Medical School
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
​
Specialty of Interest
Family Medicine

How have you demonstrated resilience in your journey to medical school?
My journey to and during medical school has been full of joy and hardships and I had to be resilient to get through. Hardships are character builders. Even as I go through rotations now as a 3rd year student, I can see how those previous experiences have prepared me to deal with new difficult situations as I grow as a person and future physician. In every setback or struggle, you have to ask yourself, "Is this situation going to make me bitter or make me better?" I hope that you choose the latter. 

Daryl Cunningham

---

Patience.

Jeremy Thompson

​Medical School
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Specialty of Interest
Orthopedic Surgery

What made your journey to medical school unique? What difficulties did you face, and how did you overcome them?
I did not consider becoming a doctor until later in my life. As a child and undergraduate, my focus was football. My dream was to play professional football in the NFL. Through a lot of hard work, dedication I earned the opportunity to play in the NFL and was drafted in the 4th round. However, in my second year, I sustained a career-ending injury. I thought my life was over and I had lost all that I had worked for up until that point. However, during the evaluations for my injury, I experienced the field of orthopedic surgery from a non-athlete point of view and was impressed with the level of care and connection that I had with the surgeons. After this experience, I decided to return to school to complete med school pre-requisites for 2 years followed by 4 years of medical school. I didn't have the best grades in undergrad and was told that I couldn't do it, but with the support of my family, and trust that I was working towards a greater goal, I was able to keep pressing on to my goal.

What advice would you give to an undergrad or high school student interested in pursuing medicine?
Keep your options open and don't be discouraged by preconceived notions about medical school. Medicine is a challenging yet gratifying field and it is well worth the investment.

 

---

---

Vision.

---

Josh Onyango

​Medical School
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Specialty of Interest
Internal Medicine/Neurology
​
What made your journey to medical school unique? What difficulties did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Although I've generally done fairly well in school, I've always had a low self-esteem. When it came time to decide what career I was going to settle on, medicine was the furthest thing from my mind because I wasn't convinced that I had what it takes to be a doctor. I doubted my ability to interact with people and take on the leadership role that comes with the title. It wasn't until a friend of mine had a vision. He challenged me to run for a position as president for a major biology club on campus. The following two years that I led and served in that club as president completely changed my life and the way I saw myself forever. My friend had seen in me what I couldn't see in myself. From then, I took on the challenge to realize my dreams and fulfill my potential by applying to medical school. Although there are still times now that I feel like I'm not good enough to belong to this profession, I remind myself that I already owe Sallie Mae a crap-load of money, and also that I need to stop seeking external acceptance and be comfortable in who I am and what I'm capable of achieving.

What advice would you give to an undergraduate or high school student who is interested in pursuing medicine?
My advice is specifically for students who want to pursue a career in medicine, but feel like they're not smart enough, privileged enough, or have sufficient people skills to really make a difference in people's lives. If you care about people and want to be on the forefront in advocating for their health, then no matter how far behind you feel, go for it! Everyone's gotta start somewhere. The whole point of medical school is to make you smarter and give you the tools to interact with patients in meaningful ways. So don't let your negative self-talk keep you from trying.

---

---

Tolu Adebanjo, MD, MPH
​Pediatrics, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service Fellow

​Medical School
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

What made your journey to medical school unique? What difficulties did you face, and how did you overcome them?
I think my particular interests in medicine are what made my journey to medical school unique. Although I've always had a passion for healing and taking care of patients on an individual basis, I also knew that I wanted to influence health outcomes in the community and on a national and international level. As I applied to medical school, it was important that I attend an institution where I could easily get both my MD and MPH in order to develop a foundation in public health and explore the methodology behind program development and evaluation.

I had a dream of working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after completing residency, and my journey as a medical student and graduate student was rooted in this vision. At the completion of my MPH year, I had the opportunity to do an elective at the CDC which helped to solidify and shape my career path. After completing my pediatric residency and a chief resident year, I can proudly say that I will be an Epidemic Intelligence Service Office at the CDC starting in July 2016. Dreams do come true!

What advice would you give to an undergraduate or high school student who is interested in pursuing medicine?
Follow your heart and believe in yourself. Whenever I would doubt myself or get frustrated, my dad would always tell me, "You were made for this..." Don't let anybody tell you that you deserve anything less! Also, look for mentors along your journey. Whether it's a career mentor, a research mentor, or a life mentor, I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today if I didn't have amazing mentors who pushed me, challenged me, and believed in me.

---

---

Adrienne Smallwood

​Medical School
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Specialty of Interest​
Medicine-Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Dermatology

What made your journey to medical school unique? What difficulties did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Having several ill family members during medical school changed the way I saw physician- patient relationships. I used these experiences as inspiration to advocate and care for my patients the way I would want my family members cared for.

What advice would you give to an undergraduate or high school student who is interested in pursuing medicine?
Explore your own interests and passions and try not to compare yourself to others! Always give back to those behind you trying to find their way!

---