Article and Artwork By: Camille van Neste (MS1)
The First-Year class depicted as classic Star Wars heroes and anti-heroes: Matt (R2D2), David (Chewbacca), Louise (Grand Moff Tarkin), Varun (Lando Calrissian), Amara (Leia), Tucker (Luke), Joel (Darth Vader), James (Darth Sidious, Sahil (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Christian (Han Solo), Christie (Boba Fett), Camille (C3PO), and Fred (Yoda).
It is most fitting that I write this approximately one year after I had my very first MD/PhD interview at Mount Sinai. I hadn’t been to New York in over 10 years, so I couldn’t help but marvel at the scale of the architecture possible when you don’t have to worry about earthquakes. Fast forwarding to now, I’m still dazzled by the giant buildings. However, I’m dazzled by so many other things too: the ubiquity of home food delivery despite the convenience of a grocery store on every block, the intense August humidity, and (of course) the incredible speed by which my classmates and I are stuffing anatomical knowledge into our brains.
Having grown up in very rural parts of Oregon, Montana, and California I never expected to find myself spending eight years in one of the largest cities in the world. Thankfully, I’m not the only one navigating the culture clash along with getting used to medical school. In a few weeks when the anatomy class is over and our cadavers are put to rest, we will have Thanksgiving together during a brief respite from the next course. By that time, I will be a little more used to New York, a little more used to medical school, but hopefully I will still be dazzled by the community around me.
Meet the first years:
Sahil Agrawal, Harvard University
Varun Arvind, Rutgers University-New Brunswick
James Carter, Wesleyan University
David Gonzalez, Brown University
Joel Kim, University of Rochester
Fred Kwon, University of Pennsylvania
Louise Malle, University of Pennsylvania
Tucker Matthews, University of Wisconsin
Madison Christie Nguyen, Stanford University
Amara Plaza-Jennings, Princeton University
Matthew Spindler, Princeton University
Christian Stevens, Harvey Mudd College
Camille van Neste, Stanford University