Nth Dimensions’ mission is to eliminate healthcare disparities in all communities by diversifying the physician workforce. To accomplish that mission, they develop and implement pipeline initiatives that provide resources, including scholarships, expertise, mentorship, and hands-on experience for women and underrepresented minorities (URMs).
What inspired you to participate in Nth Dimensions?
I was inspired to apply to Nth Dimensions because of my desire to explore my interest in orthopaedic surgery. I’ve always known that I love surgery, but after beginning medical school, I’ve felt myself gravitating towards orthopaedics. I learned about Nth Dimensions through a classmate, and its mission towards helping underrepresented minorities match into orthopedic surgery caught my attention. I wanted to spend my summer immersed in orthopedics, scrubbing into surgery, doing research, and meeting a diverse network of talented physicians, healthcare-related workers, and fellow medical students.
Why are you interested in orthopaedic surgery?
I love working with my hands and solving complex medical problems both intellectually and tangibly. I love the idea of restoring people’s function and ability to ambulate. I am drawn to the broad spectrum of patient populations I could interact with as a future orthopedic surgeon – from elderly patients with chronic ailments to young patients with injuries. The training and practice of medicine surely has an element of delayed gratification, and the instant gratification from immediately improving someone’s health from injury or disease is the wonderful balance I seek in my medical career.
What surprised you about the Campbell Clinic?
I was surprised by how close-knit all the orthopedic surgeons and staff at Campbell are. I quickly realized that those who work at Campbell Clinic treat each other and their patients as family and not just coworkers and patients. Being in an environment like Campbell was a wonderful experience where I felt the camaraderie.
What was your experience in Memphis like?
Being matched to Memphis was unexpected, but I was pleasantly surprised during my time there! I learned about and experienced the vibrant culture in the city through food outings, music, sports games, and hanging out with locals.
When you return to DC for your M2 year, what will be different?
During my M2 year, I plan to continue building on the connections I made at Campbell Clinic this past summer. I look forward to continuing being mentored by the Nth Dimensions program throughout the rest of my med school education and making new connections at Georgetown. This new academic school year I plan to add more orthopaedic research to my experiences and get a couple of publications!