Hey, everyone! I am happy to give you an interview from Tricia, a Twitter warrior! I love seeing her posts and watching her success with her #GiveMePPEChi campaign. Here's her advice and a bit about her medical journey. Hope you enjoy the read!
Tell me a bit about yourself.
I am a first year medical student at Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. Before attending Feinberg I attended Northwestern University and worked for several years in clinical research as well as being a Rape Crisis Counselor in the city of Chicago.
Favorite food? Movie? TV show? Book?
I love muffins and cupcakes, but also really love Thai food – something about that spice profile is so comforting to me. My favorite TV show depends on my mood. Bob’s Burgers is funny without being rude or denigrating, but I am a huge Star Wars nerd and love The Mandalorian and Clone Wars. I… do not read. I can’t even remember the last book I read.
Do you own a pet? If so, how did you care for him/her during school?
I do not. I grew up with the same two cats, the longest living of which passed two years ago, and I couldn’t bring myself to get another cat since Buttercup – she was the love of my life. I have fostered some cats since then, which I really enjoy and find rewarding.
What hobbies do you like to do outside of work/school?
I love video games. They are so calming to me. They reduce my anxiety so much. Besides video games, I love cooking and baking. I’m trying to get more creative with the things I make in the kitchen.
Why medicine? Why did you decide to become a physician?
Medicine because everything else seemed like it would never be enough for me. I chose medical school over other career paths because I wanted to put myself into a position to be the Dean of a school of the Chief of a Division one day.
What field of medicine did you choose and why?
I won’t truly lock in my decision until fall of my fourth year, but I would be extremely surprised if I didn’t choose pediatrics. I love interacting with kids.
Can you tell me a bit about your #GiveMePPEChi campaign? What impact have you made so far? I’ve seen you on news outlets! Congrats on your successful outreach!
GetMePPEChicago is an organization led by medical students from throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Together, we effectively, efficiently, and equitably distribute both local and crowdfunded donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) to hospitals and community organizations in need. As of May 12, we have sourced, made, or purchased and subsequently donated 63,000 N95 or equivalent respirators, 20,000 surgical masks, 3,500 cloth masks, 17,000 face shields, 2,400 isolation gowns, 2,000 boxes of gloves, 550 goggles, 120 L hand sanitizer and 12 gallons of PathoCide Disinfectant. You can learn more about us at getmeppechi.org.
While we serve Illinois and Chicagoland, our organization has become a national leader and a model for similar work across the country. We provide logistics support to numerous groups, and through these relationships have facilitated the distribution of hundreds of thousands of personal protective equipment items to people in need.
What can people do to help your campaign and the lack of PPE all over the nation?
You can donate to our crowdfund (bit.ly/GlowUpMaskUp), and keep talking about PPE shortages. We need to keep the pressure on our elected officials.
Tell me about a typical day as a medical school student/resident?
It really depends! Some days I’m at home all day watching lectures remotely, whereas during others I come to campus for a meeting or one class. Every other Tuesday, I have the privilege of participating in a pediatrics clinic at a FQHC in Chicago’s West Side.
What do you do? What are the duties/functions/responsibilities of your job?
I feel like I have a million jobs, but one of my favorite jobs is being a Visual Abstract editor for the journal Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. I get to make people’s research come to life – it’s a lot of fun.
Are you in a relationship? If so, how do you manage being in school and having a relationship?
I am! My boyfriend is the most supportive person in the world. I feel very lucky to be loved by someone who just believes in my abilities so fully. He’s also a really good check on me overextending myself. There have been plenty of times where he’s told me it’s time to stop studying and rest. In that way, he is kinder to me than I am to myself sometimes.
If you had to break it up into percentages, how do you spend your day?
5% drinking coffee, 30% notecards/watching lectures, 5% shenanigans on social media, 10% cooking and eating, 5% Facetiming with my mom, that adds up 55% so sorry
What experience is necessary to become a physician? What did you accomplish prior to being accepted into medical school and becoming a physician?
This answer should be different for everyone. Medical schools want to see passionate applicants. If your passion is violin performance, great. If your passion is foreign literature, great. If your passion is research, great. All three of those things tie back into medicine in their own way (practice and dedication for a violin performer, investigation and creativity for the writer). Follow your passion, even if that is not what you think medical admissions committees want to see. It will make your application more cohesive. Just be prepared to answer the question, “why are you interested in medicine,” and explain how your passion will make you a fantastic doctor.
What extracurriculars did you hold in undergrad?
I completed a Practicum in Allied Athletic Health Services (essentially a PT aide), and I genuinely can’t remember anything else. I did most of the things I put on my AMCAS after graduating. These include being a Rape Crisis Counselor, volunteering at an animal shelter, and being an interview coach for undergraduate students.
What are leadership roles and are they really THAT important?
I held literally 0 in undergrad. It’s fine.
How many hours of shadowing do you recommend?
Boo, shadowing. Abolish the expectation of shadowing. It favors people with wealth and connections. I think I had maybe 20 hours when I applied, but I worked for two years in a clinical environment. That’s worth more.
How did you find doctors to shadow?
Screaming into the void. Kidding, but I’m happy to help people find doctors to shadow. Someone is always on Twitter. Just DM me (@traependergrast).
Any advice on how to dress for shadowing, med school interview, or other professional opportunities?
For those who want to wear heels, most interviews will have tours so bring non-heels to use when you are not actively interviewing. Secure your hair in place, dress in dark colors with one accent color (this advice is from 30 rock). Match the accent piece to your nails or lip color if you choose to paint your nails or wear makeup.
The golden question: What is the difference between DO and MD? What is osteopathic medicine? Why did you choose MD/DO over the other?
These are two different traditions of training. DOs learn more skills that involve healing through physical touch. I chose MD because those programs tend to place more emphasis on clinical research than DO schools.
Which past jobs have been most helpful in reaching your target career?
My clinical research jobs made me an attractive candidate for programs that included a lot of research. My clinical experience was helpful as well.
What other jobs can you get with the same background?
I could have gone into a career in clinical research.
How do you apply to medical school?
Lots of coffee and credit card debt.
To how many medical schools should prospective students apply? How early should they apply?
If your application is not complete by June 1st at 8am, wait until next year. Don’t plan on applying more than once. There is no “I’ll apply now and see how it goes,” because admissions committees will want to see significant growth between your first and second times applying.
How important are grades and GPA when considering a career in medicine?
Very important. My GPA was a 3.62, but I scored in the 99th percentile for the MCAT.
The MCAT. What, how, when, where, and why?
The MCAT tests how much money you have to spend on MCAT preparation, and how good you are at taking standardized tests. I took mine after about 8 months of studying 4-5 hours / week. I spread out my studying into a much more lengthy time period because I was working full-time and taking classes. I hated my MCAT day. I was thirsty the whole time and couldn’t bring in my water bottle. It was so chaotic. We were supposed to start at 8:00, but they started me at 7:30. My first question was about the radius of electrons and I almost cried. My friends got engaged later that night, which was very lovely.
What recommendations do you have for non-traditional students?
At GetMePPEChi, I work with students that attend other medical schools where there were more non-traditional students, and I’m often jealous of this because it is definitely a different school experience. I would recommend non-traditional students consider this when applying. I consider myself non-traditional because I worked for four years before applying to medical school.
Throughout this entire process, how did you stay motivated?
Stubbornness. What was I going to do, quit?
Finally, do you have any special words of warning or encouragement as a result of your experience?
I’m copying my answer because it is THAT important: If your application is not complete by June 1st at 8am, wait until next year. Don’t plan on applying more than once. There is no “I’ll apply now and see how it goes,” because admissions committees will want to see significant growth between your first and second times applying. You *can* apply more than once, but don’t apply until you are 100% ready and your application is the best it can be.
Thanks for sharing, Tricia! For more #WCW posts, click on "posts" above. Remember, you got this!
Thanks for visiting my blog! Be sure to check out my other posts. There is more to come soon! Until then be kind and remember tomorrow depends on what you do today. Hope you enjoyed reading! — Taylor ❤
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