IV with Current Med Resident Leslie Nwoke

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring  interviews with medical school applicants and students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at  the med school and residency application process. And now, introducing Leslie Nwoke†¦ Accepted:  Wed like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What other degrees do you hold? What is your favorite non-school book? Leslie: Hello Accepted.com readers! My name is Leslie Nwoke. I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Im happily married to my husband of 4 years and have a 15 month old scrumptious son. I attended Spelman College in Atlanta, GA for  college, where I majored in Biology/PreMed. After graduating from college, I went to George Washington University where I earned my Masters in Public Health (M.P.H) with a concentration in Global Health Promotion. I can honestly say those two years in graduate school changed my life and solidified the direction I wanted to take in my career. Favorite book? That’s a tough one, because Im an avid reader of  a lot of great literature – but Id have to say its Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Its a powerful book telling a fictional story during the real Biafran Civil War in Nigeria. It was one of those books that had me thinking about  the characters days after finishing the book. Accepted:  Where did you go to med school? What were your criteria for choosing the best med program for you? Leslie: I started out at St. Matthews University School of Medicine and later transferred to Ross University School of Medicine. My time in medical school was honestly a very unique season in my life. When else in your life can you say you lived on an island while attending medical school†¦and eating curry  chicken and escovitch fish almost daily? LOL What was  important  for me in choosing my medical school was choosing an institution that placed priority on teaching students, where students were happy, where students matched at locations/programs I liked, and a place that offered rotations where I had family (to  decrease housing costs). I really enjoyed my time at St. Matthews – It set a great foundation of good study  ethic needed to  succeed in medicine and provided an environment where I could learn without intimidation. My  transfer to RossU for my last two years of medical school provided an equally  satisfying experience. Accepted:  Where are you doing your residency? Leslie: I am entering my PGY-2 year as a psychiatry resident at Morehouse School of Medicine. Accepted:  Can you share your top 3 residency tips with our readers? Leslie:   a)  Dont try to study before coming into residency! One of the main questions I get from people applying to residency programs is What should I read before I start in July? Although I will never discourage studying, I would highly encourage enjoying the free time you have before residency. Residency has a steep learning curve and you WILL learn what you have to learn. The time before intern year is special – spend time with friends, travel, and sleep! b)  Work like a resident with a medical student curiosity. The transition to intern year brings a lot of expectations, especially in terms of the responsibility level you have with patients. Commit yourself to the process – throw yourself into patient care, but dont ever feel like youve passed a stage where you cant ask questions, even seemingly silly ones. Youll be surprised that residents around you dont know the answer and your boldness to ask questions helps you and your patient. c)  Learn to automate your learning style. Residency is busy and limits the time you once had to read textbooks and review lectures. Most of your learning will have to be on the go. Keep a little notebook in your white coat where you can jot down pearls of knowledge while on the wards. Download the USMLE app so you can answer questions on your down time. Listen to medical podcasts on your commute to stay abreast of current events in your field. Accepted:  As someone who is passionate about work and family (not to mention global activism!), you must be encountering quite a juggling act. How have you been managing the life/work/study balance? Leslie: Whew! Plenty of late nights and coffee! Just kidding†¦maybe†¦ 🙂 So, Im married with an almost 2 year old and prioritize time with them above everything. I leave work at the hospital. When I’m home, that time belongs to them. That being said, I also have to get creative about how I carry out my other responsibilities. Were blessed to have family a few minutes’ drive away, so my husband and I have the luxury to have the munchkin stay with family if Im on call or need to complete a few tasks. Sometimes, I try to wake up earlier than my family to respond to emails or other projects. For my nonprofit initiative, I have a great team that shares the workload. It’s not perfect, but Im learning and shifting as intern year goes on. Accepted:  Can you tell us about The Ruby Project? Leslie: Yes! Ruby Project is my 2nd baby. 🙂 Its a nonprofit I started with a close friend of mine that provides trauma support for young girls through annual summer retreats. Our Ruby girls, 12-18 year olds, are mainly recruited from social services and foster care programs in California. Our 3-day retreats involve one-on-one peer counseling, dance and drama therapy, and teen health workshops. We are entering our 3rd year and expanding to older girls and to new cities. Check us out at  www.ruby-project.org! Accepted:  Long term, how do you plan on combining your degrees with your mission of social justice? Leslie: I love this question†¦this is the stuff that makes my heart beat. So Im interested in doing this in a couple of ways: a) Consulting with international aid groups to create strategies on scaling up their mental health policy b) working to build up psychosocial rehab programs for marginalized groups like child soldiers or sex trafficking victims. Accepted:  Can you tell us about your blog? Who is your target audience? How have you benefited from the blogging experience? Leslie: So, I’m a new blogger. My blog is DivaDocSpeaks.com! Please check it out. 🙂 It is my space online to share about the intersection of my life as a wife, new mom, and new resident whos also really into non-medicine endeavors. You can also follow me on Twitter @DivaDocSpeaks and on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/DivaDocSpeaks. You can read more about Leslie’s journey by checking out her blog, Diva Doc Speaks. Thank you Leslie for sharing your story with us! Do you want to be featured in Accepted.coms blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com. Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

May College Planning Checklist

College Admissions Season Winds Down for Seniors, Ramps Up for Juniors Today is decision day! Millions of students across the country, even the world, will be sending in their enrollment deposits to the school they plan to attend this fall. While this signifies the end of a long and sometimes stressful process for high school seniors, it’s just the beginning for underclassmen. Here’s the essentialcollege planning list students need this month to prepare for, or wrap up, the college admissions process. Freshmen Take some time to reflect on your extracurriculars. Are you getting what you want out of them? Update or start putting together your resume. You’ll want to update this on a regular basis. Do you know how you’re spending your summer yet? Continue building your outside reading list. Sophomores Continue building your outside reading list. Schedule a meeting with your counselor to go over your test prep and test taking timeline. If you plan to take the June ACT or SAT, be sure to register by May 9. Do you know how you’re spending your summer yet? Juniors If you’re taking the May 3 SAT, here are some last-minute tips. Start planning college visits for the end of spring and this summer. While summer isn’t the best time for a visit since school isn’t in session, it’s a convenient way to get an informal feel for the campus. Study for AP exams. If you plan to take the June ACT or SAT, be sure to register by May 9. Begin narrowing down your balanced college list. By now you have gone on some visits and met with your college counselor, so you should have a good idea of the schools that might not be a best-fit for you. Do you know how you’re spending your summer yet? Seniors If you haven’t already, send in your enrollment deposit! Today is the deadline for many schools. Now that you’re in and enrolled, use the resources available to you to connect with future classmates and prepare for actually going to college this fall. Tell your teachers and counselors â€Å"thank you.† They’ve helped you a lot over the last four years, and now that your college decision is final, make sure you let them know how much you appreciate all their help. Study for AP exams. Keep those grades up! The end of the school year is almost here! What else do you plan to do this month to stay on track for the end of the school year and the start of summer? Tell us in the comments below! You can also download our full college planning checklists here.