In Stride

Why did you choose Barry?
When I was applying for podiatry school, I was not even considering Florida because I have lived in here for 10 years and wanted to live someone that was different. I also did not want to handle anymore hurricanes. In the end, I decided to apply to Barry due to family proximity and what Barry had to offer such as their clinics, clinical professors, and patient diversity. Barry also has some of the best hands-on clinic time that students get to do; they have student run clinics. Their anatomy lab as well was very hands on and being able to work with a small group on each cadaver was a bonus. I believe that diversity is important because each culture can be tied to a patient’s attitude and medical condition. Picking Barry was one of the best decisions I have made.

What has been your favorite course so far and why?
Anatomy has been my favorite course so far. I love how things function and how things are connected together. I love teaching others; I enjoy the looks on people faces when they finally understood things. Anatomy is the foundation of our profession, with the passion I have for it, it makes loving podiatry even better. Our anatomy professor, Dr. Cawley, made anatomy enjoyable, easy to understand, and took the time to break down everything. Anatomy made you think, it is not all about identifying a muscle for example, it is about understanding its components, and what happens when it does not function correctly and what to look for.

Why did you choose to study podiatry?
I did not even consider the medical field when I was studying at Texas State University for my undergraduate. My family is full of nurses, and I wanted to be rebellious and do something different, which was veterinarian medicine. My major was animal science, and I was going headfirst into veterinarian medicine until I went to Texas A&M’s Veterinarian Open house. When I went to the open house, I cannot tell you why, but I had a gut feeling that veterinary medicine was not for me; I could not see myself becoming a vet. I kept my major, but I went to a healthcare event at Texas State and that is where I was introduced to podiatry. I had never even heard of the word “podiatry”, and I had a thorough discussion from admissions personnel from Temple University. After the event, I decided to shadow a podiatrist in San Antonio, TX and I learned so much about podiatry. It amazed me how a patient can walk in with pain and leave pain free and that is what caught my eye. From that point, my goal was to become a podiatrist.

Of what accomplishment are you most proud?
What I am most proud of is myself blossoming out of my shell. To me, this is a momentous step because I was so used to being by myself and quiet. In the past, I use to stay to myself and was afraid to be myself, not expressing any of my personality. Barry has brought what was locked up inside of me and now is unleashed; the world is gets to see it now. Because of my blossoming, I have had many opportunities introduced to me and opportunities that I have earned that I will have never gotten if I did not change.

In what extracurricular activities (clubs, internships, jobs, etc.) are you involved?
Of course, I was an anatomy teacher’s assistant for both gross and lower extremity anatomy and I enjoyed every bit of it. I did not do it for the money, not only did it help me study for boards part 1, but I ensured that no one was left confused at the end of the day. Being a TA has inspired me to become a professor in the future. I did everything in my power to prepare students for their upcoming exams and did it in fun ways such as writing down questions every lab and sharing fun mnemonics. I am also the chairwoman of our Academic Grievance Committee which has also been an experience I have enjoyed. Problem solving, looking at both sides, and compromising have been some of the key things I have took away from this committee. I am also a part of the recruitment committee. I love doing this because I get a chance to interact with unique student around the country or even the globe. Any chance that I can give advice and help, I am ready to do it.

What have you learned about yourself through your studies at Barry?
What I have learned is, do not wait until the last minute to study. I learned to start studying the material from day 1. I try to finish the lessons that we learned from each class by the end of the week. I had figured out that this was much easier and less stressful for myself. If I study the material hard the 1st go around, when it comes closer to the exam day, I can go over the material again, but this time it would be quicker. What I also learned is that you cannot just memorize or just learned from the surface. You must investigate why something the way it is and fully understand; physiology with Dr. Sesodia really beat that into me. This is the formula I used to get through podiatry school, it may be time consuming and slow, but it is the way I learned. Also on another note, I never study past 10pm.

What advice would you give students thinking about studying podiatry?
The advice that I would give students is to pursue a career that you want to pursue. Podiatry is already specialized, so you have to be committed to 1 specialty. Feet not only gets you from point A to point B, but it can be a predictor of someone’s mortality. Podiatrist may sometimes be the only one that spots something in the feet that may be detrimental and save a person’s life. You will be the one that spots the 1 rare bird in a flock of crows. Also remember, this is a very hands-on field, and so you have to be comfortable with touching the patients; if you are not comfortable touching patients feet, the patient’s will be able to tell.

What advice would you give prospective students thinking about Barry?
I would say be prepared for anything. People hear it all the time that Barry is diverse, and it is 100% true. Not only is Barry diverse, but the entire South Florida region is. If you are thinking about Barry, be prepared to open your mind to different cultures, respecting them, immersing yourself. When a person hears about vast training, you think about learning about different techniques, this is true, but vast training at Barry is defined as how to treat a diverse population and catering to their different needs. One technique may not work for a person. Barry will give you the tools of critical thinking, thinking about the patient more and their circumstances before administrating a treatment or surgical option. Embrace who you are and share with others about yourself so that you can add uniqueness to Barry. Everyone has different experiences, but my experiences at Barry have led me to where I am today.