through this thing together and came out on the other side and are now successful and living our dreams ,” she said . “ Those four years were filled with laughter and the development of friendships and relationships , but also with times of failure and tears and sadness . But they were always met with support . You can ’ t get through these things without challenges , but you surround yourself with people who care and will help get you through .”
When she entered medical school , she thought she ’ d be an orthopedic surgeon like the one she ’ d encountered in high school . However , after the first day in gross anatomy class , she knew that cutting human flesh was not in the cards for her . She knew she had to find another avenue to work with athletes , and sports medicine seemed like a natural fit . During medical school , she remembers shadowing sports medicine attendings Dr . Jonathan Becker and Dr . Jessica Stumbo , and she fell in love with the specialty , solidifying a path to a family medicine residency and a sports medicine fellowship .
“ Because my goal was to practice in Louisiana , I viewed medical school as the last time I could get outside of Louisiana and see what it ’ s like while also allowing myself to develop into an adult , my authentic self , without the protection or the familiarity of my surroundings and my family ,” she said . By the time she began interviewing for residency , she stated , “ I couldn ’ t bring myself to move knowing for sure what I ’ d get here in Louisville versus the possibilities I could see on the interview trail .”
Her intern year was tough with a busy schedule and competition like no other . For a self-described “ feeler ” like her , it was hard to be separated from those she was closest to .
“ There ’ s a lot of hours and you ’ re really learning how to be a doctor . You have this pressure of the letters behind your name and what you ’ re going to make of it . During the second and third years you start honing your skills and becoming the doctor you want to be in the future . You ’ re truly working toward becoming who you are as a medical professional in the community .”
( continued on page 28 ) December 2022 27