What drew you to the field of medicine?

As a child, each summer Friday was spent visiting my dad at his clinic. I would sit in his office, watching him enter and leave his room, working tediously to provide the best care to each of his patients. What stayed with me since these moments was not only his dedication, but the gratitude of the patients who relied on him for help. Exposing myself more broadly to healthcare throughout high school, however, taught me that this level of care is often not the reality for many in our country, and especially here in South Carolina. Seeing this gap, whether through shadowing, research, or personal experiences, and identifying a system that lacks in providing individualized care to every patient, is what draws me to the field of medicine.

What are your plans after attending medical school?

What I know now is my aspiration to remain here in my home state of South Carolina, serving our most medically-demanding communities. And so, although I am unsure of what specific specialty at the moment, I hope to treat these communities directly as a DPC physician, building quality and reliable relationships with each of my patients. On a broader scale, I eventually hope to serve as a physician-legislator, working to pass real laws that address the health inequities and policies that affect both our physician and patient communities here in South Carolina.