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Student and Faculty Profiles

Meet Mike...

Class: 2011
Hometown: Southington, Connecticut
Undergrad: Trinity College
Major: Biology
Program: M.D.

It is the all too familiar question. “Why do you want to be a doctor?” According to my dad, I decided to enter the field of medicine before kindergarten. However, I didn’t fully realize my desire to become a physician until I met a patient in the emergency room during college.

I was a sophomore at the time, shadowing in my local emergency department. A forty-year-old woman came in saying, “I can’t get sick…I can’t get sick.” After a few minutes of conversation, I learned that she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and needed chemotherapy. She was terrified that she would die, forcing her two young daughters into foster care since her husband had just passed away. After meeting this patient, I was struck by the profound impact doctors have on the lives of others. An oncologist had the ability to cure this woman’s disease and allow her to see her daughters grow into adults.

When deciding on a medical school, I wanted to be in an environment that promoted collaboration and emphasized a humanistic approach to medicine. Since my first day, UConn medical school has not disappointed. On my first day, I was given my white coat and sworn in to the medical field at the “White Coat Ceremony.” At this celebration, the Dean told us about his White Coat Ceremony. He was told to, “Look to your left, look to your right. One of you won’t make it.”

At that moment, he let us know that UConn was different. He said to us, “Look to your left and right. One of you will be a pediatrician, one of you will be a surgeon, and the other will be an internist.” From anatomy professors who stay until midnight in the lab, to basic science faculty holding review sessions early in the morning, the faculty at UConn create a truly supportive environment.

Looking back on my time at UConn, I am impressed by just how much the faculty has looked to me for input. During my second year, I was invited to interview prospective students to help decide on the next class of medical students. Further, the faculty constantly search for feedback from the students on ways to improve the curriculum. I have seen changes made based on this feedback during my time at the school.

As a UConn medical student, you will truly have the opportunity to reach your full potential. Unlike many medical schools, UConn has a pass/fail system that promotes collaboration. Instead of fighting for the top grade, students work together to be successful. Further, from the very beginning, you will begin seeing patients on your own in a real doctor’s office. From this experience, you will be able to apply your classroom knowledge to real situations.

Medical school is an extremely busy and challenging time. However, I can’t think of a better place than UConn to train to become a physician. In four short years, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to save the lives of others, while still maintaining the compassion that is so central to the art of medicine.