ANTOINETTE: M5 Year

Apparently, it’s been almost a year since I last posted. I apologize. I was across the street at the Rollins School of Public Health for the year getting my Master’s in Public Health between my 3rd and 4th years of medical school along with 20 or so members of my original class. I s’pose I got lost amidst all of the biostatistics and epidemiology homework.

Emory’s administration is very supportive of students taking time off from medical studies. Every year, students have said goodbye to their classmates and gone on to pursue research (either domestic or abroad) and/or additional degrees (either here at Emory or at other institutions). And sometimes, there’s even financial support in addition to academic support to do so! It’s been an amazing year “off” from medical school, where I’ve been able to further pursue my longstanding interests in public health, global health and reproductive health. It’s definitely been a great change of pace to widen my clinical perspective from the individual level to the population level. I’ve learned a lot from the books, from additional research and probably most importantly, from a slew of passionate folks.

But there have also been bittersweet moments this year, especially during graduation, when I celebrated my friends becoming doctors from my seat in the audience – as a medical student still. Medical school has been a strange but exciting ride. The relationships you make during this time can be so great and so deep – in a way that is different of relationships from undergrad or outside of school – due to the shared experiences of academic studies and patient care. You will change. Undoubtedly. And at times, medical school will isolate you from your other friends and family. Your loved ones will try really hard to understand what you’re experiencing, but ultimately, most won’t be able to fully grasp the whole story. So, your friends often become family, without replacing your real one.

I miss my friends already but I’m right behind them. Only one more year.

Congratulations to Emory School of Medicine’s Class of 2011. You were a historic class.