1. What did you do after AmeriCorps and what are you doing now?
After doing my Americorps year at Health Center 2, I went to med school at Jefferson and am currently a 2nd year resident in Internal Medicine, also at Jeff. I'm planning to go to into Oncology.
2. How did AmeriCorps benefit your future goals?
More than anything, Americorps made service part of my identity. And I've come to learn that by far the most important part of being a physician is a commitment to service. On a more specific level, my Americorps year gave me lots of insight into the Philadelphia health system and the issues facing our un- and under-insured patients, which has been invaluable as a student and resident.
3. What is one piece of advice you would give to a current/future PHC member?
I don't know if I'm qualified yet to give advice, but I guess the one thing I'd say is, as you go along in your Americorps year, try to make note of systems-level issues that lead to inequalities and inefficiencies in our healthcare system. Regardless of the profession that Healthcorps grads go into, we almost all end up in a position to effect some changes in the healthcare system, and the Americorps year is a great time to start crafting visions of what can be improved.
