No, because I can’t believe it’s the last day. I simply can't wrap my head around it. Today we began by talking to Caroline about how we either met the goals we set for ourselves or not. To prove that MedEx truly cares about their students even more, they wrote down every feedback we gave them, whether good or bad, they wrote it down. We also passed out superlatives and I could not be more honored and humbled to say that I was chosen for best bark ☺. Truly grateful.
A few hours later and it was time for graduation. Seriously though, I am so lucky to have been chosen for Tier II speaker this year. Although it was difficult to stand in front of many people and speak into a microphone, it was incredibly easy to talk about something I love. The following is the speech I presented to the tier, friends, and family that were at the ceremony:
Picture this, a group of 44 undergraduate students get selected among a group of over 500 individuals who apply to MedEx every cycle. This group starts off with many ice breakers, does CPR training during the first week and QPR during the last. Transformed through the things they learned, they allowed plenty of room for vulnerability. They respected each other, heard each other, and understood each other.
Now, I am no photographer but, I can picture these people and I in a white coat together ;)
MedEx is more than just a 5 week program, it's an experience that has a lifetime impact… of the trauma you get from saying pick up lines ofcourse. MedEx wouldn’t be possible without our wonderful program advisors, Caroline, AJ, Tori, and Jenna. And of course Sarah, the program coordinator, who worked so hard to put together a calendar that fits rotations for students in three different tiers. Despite COVID temporarily suspending all shadowing to students, MedEx worked with their partnerships and placed each of us in 7 clinical rotations. My very first shadowing experience was one I will never forget. I had the opportunity to go into the OR but the table was lifted all the way up. I tiptoed and swayed back and forth and couldn't see anything; I just kept smelling fumes from the patient's direction. Eventually, the table got brought back down, I stood on a stepping stool and right before my eyes was a pumping heart. I was fascinated with the art of medicine. My second clinical rotation I was placed in Pediatrics, a profession I am really interested in. The physician and I got to talk during a break and we shared a lot of similarities in our stories. She immigrated at a young age and had to learn how to navigate through the education system alone as the oldest child. Before I had the chance to tell her I hope to follow her legacy, she touched my shoulder and said, “I see myself in you.” These 5 words alone were invigorating to hear, especially from a physician who not only works in a field I am interested in, but also has combated a lot of the things I currently battle. All this to say that MedEx cares about their students and pushes for a new generation of outstanding physicians and healthcare professionals like none before. These experiences grew me professionally and allowed me to expand my network. Without MedEx these opportunities would’ve been unreachable.
Outside of clinical experiences, MedEx taught me the value of having a strong community to support me as we embark on our journey together. With every day we spent together, we uncovered each other's talents. Like we didn’t know Olivia could pull moves like that, or that Will, the Twins, and Kwame would be destroyed by Julie’s basketball skills. We learned not to compete against Sebastian in pong or Amari in pool. And to NEVER compete with Lydia or Landon in anything! Oh by the way Dora, “fix your face.” I also can’t wait to come to Evelin’s comedy shows and be the number one subscriber to DeLea and Talyia’s youtube channel. One of the first instances when I understood what MedEx is all about was when Allen shared with us his story about the spider he met in his bathroom and decided to keep as a friend.
I am so incredibly grateful for MedEx and everyone that makes it possible. Now, I would like to take some time and thank these people. Thank you to the donors who give so much because they believe in the program and in what MedEx has to offer for the future of healthcare. Thank you to our amazing interns who made this experience unforgettable. Allen who taught each of us the gift of vulnerability and how to love everyone, even spiders. Thank you Kathryn for always bringing the energy to the tier and for always having ideas and games so we are never bored. Thank you Dr. Epright for exposing us to ethical dilemmas and expanding our knowledge of perspectives outside of our own. We were then able to recognize ethical and even unethical actions during our clinical rotations that we wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. Most of all thank you Uncle Al for the endless amount of tears we shed during your speeches. I will never forget the morning that half of the tier was making fun of my coffee that apparently looks like “brown milk” or a “milkshake,” and Uncle Al saw that I needed some support. He asked me to get up and stand next to him. I felt empowered. He then told me to stand behind him. I felt protected. He made way and told me to stand in front of him. I felt supported. By providing support to each of us from every angle, Uncle Al calls this 360° protection. Now this was about more than what my coffee looks like, this was to provide us the reassurance that we aren’t alone. To remind us that through MedEx we gain guidance, support, and protection.
Finally, I want to thank my tier-mates. The people that have made an impact on me and taught me things I will take with me wherever I go. The people that came into MedEx knowing they didn’t just want to get to know two or three people, but befriend every single person in the room. The people that I was able to have so much fun with, but also got to know personally on a deeper level. The people that made me feel special and seen for the very first time in my life. Growing up, I was never the rowdy kid that needed the extra attention from my parents. I was never the popular one that everyone knew at school. I was the one eating alone in the cafeteria after moving from Egypt in 5th grade. The one that didn’t know a lick of English and got bullied for it. The one that never raised her hand in class because she didn’t think anyone cared to listen. Now, picture that same girl who was so fragile, growing the confidence in order to stand in front of you today. I am so honored and so grateful to have been a part of a group who saw something in me that I struggled to see. So thank you to the people that encouraged me to be comfortable in my own skin. Comfortable enough to start AND end with a pickup line. Here we go: I have no pen and no paper yet I still drew your attention. Shout out to joejoe and for his ready on deck pick up lines. So seriously, thank you to these people. These people I call family.
Can’t wait for tomorr– oh wait :(
