Letters of Inspiration: March 29th, 2011

Dear Dr. Magliato

Thank you for being a great role model for medical students like myself.

I am currently a 2nd year medical student who is on the fence about surgery, but not because I do not love it. Having to take the MCATs several times and apply to medical school several times just to barely get accepted to a lower-tier medical school, I have come to a point where it is becoming harder know what all this is worth for. The constant judgment of my competency against numbers, grades, and awards have dampened my passion for surgery as I start to realize that I may only be an average student. Further, having obtained an MPH I do miss research and some of the areas of medicine that values creativity. However, when I saw how you are involved in both medicine and public health effort while writing a memoir, it has truly inspired me to re-think what I believe I can and cannot do. I was also inspired by how you described that you can have both a family and career. In the back of many female medical student’s minds is the question of whether we will be able to have both, especially knowing that the odds are against female surgeons. Therefore, to see someone who has gone through the process and has been successful with their personal and professional life, it is a great comfort.a

I also wanted to ask you how your experiences were when you were a medical student.
In your opinion, how much do these numbers in our medical career matter in getting to where you are? (GPA, MCAT scores, USMLE scores)
Is it just me, or was medical school an absolutely miserable experience for you as well?
Did you worry about whether you would be able to have kids as you were training?
Lastly, how were you able to cultivate your creative side in a field that is not known to be the most flexible?

Thank you once again for your story.

-Joanne