“During a missions trip to Guatemala, I met so many people who were sick and needed medical care but had no money or resources to pay for it. After that trip, I knew God was calling me to become a physician to one day go back and care for his people.”
What drew you to apply and attend LUCOM?
What drew me to apply and attend LUCOM was its Christ-centered mission. LUCOM’s mission to develop physicians that resemble Christ is exactly the type of physician that I aspire to be. What also helped my decision was that my sister attended LUCOM and constantly expressed how much she loved it and felt cared for by every person in the building. I knew I wanted to attend a medical school that would constantly lift me up and remind me of my calling.
What about LUCOM’s dress code?
The dress code at LUCOM is set in place so that we can practice how to dress professionally every day. At first, I was intimidated by it since I had never had to dress business casual on a regular basis, but after the first week of school, it became a routine. We also have many Jeans Days and best of all, Hawaiian Fridays!
What are your thoughts on the LUCOM student-doctor culture?
LUCOM does an amazing job at creating a culture where student-doctors feel cared for and loved. Each student that is accepted at LUCOM was thoroughly thought about and prayed for. LUCOM’s student-doctors are constantly encouraging each other and helping each other in so many ways. We all strive to see each other succeed.
LUCOM has a unique component to its curriculum called COMPASS. What is COMPASS?
Compass is like a small family that is created within the LUCOM family. It is a small group that is held once a month, where we discuss various topics that will help us become better physicians. We have discussions that help us create our individual world view and makes us think about difficult topics that we will face in our careers.
LUCOM is a Christian, faith-based institution. As a student-doctor at LUCOM, what are your thoughts on this environment?
Whether you are a Christian or not, the principles that Jesus set as a healer is one that every physician should follow. LUCOM stays true to its faith but is welcoming to people of all different faiths and never forces anyone to change. Its Christian environment encourages people to love on each other, even in the most stressful of times.
What about the growing concern of mental health in medical school?
There is a major growing concern of mental health in medical school and rightfully so. It wasn’t until entering medical school when I learned the depth of how difficult this path to become a physician is. Luckily, LUCOM does an amazing job at reminding student-doctors of the greater purpose. It is easy to get caught up in the grades, finances and a million other things that can harm our mental health and steer us from remembering why we choose this path in the first place. LUCOM’s faculty reminds us that we were called for this and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.