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Let Life Lead

About two years ago, when I was a sophomore at Texas A&M, one of my close friends, and former CVM Ambassador, Chau Dong mentioned that in one of her classes her professor told her and other seniors who crafting post-graduation plans to just “let life lead.” This strongly resonated with her, as she was about to graduate and begin a new unexpected journey as a children’s rehabilitation aide before applying to physical therapy school.

Now, two years later, with my own college graduation around the corner, I find myself realizing that this same message is resonating with me. When I came to Texas A&M four years ago, I had so many plans for my time in college that I never thought I could just “let life lead.” One of my biggest plans, that I thought was completely set in stone, was going to medical school immediately after graduating from college.

In June of 2019, the summer before my senior year, I submitted my primary applications for medical school. However, instead of feeling a sense of satisfaction, I felt a sense of panic. I felt like I was rushing through everything and that I couldn’t take a step back to just breathe. It was at this moment that I realized that I was not ready yet. Time off before matriculating into medical school was looking more and more appealing, even though it was going against one of the biggest plans I had for myself.

After a whole summer of self-reflection and multiple discussions with my family and friends, including Chau, I realized that it was okay to not be ready. It was okay to step back, take a break and breathe. So, after changing the biggest, oldest plan I had for myself, I entered my final year of college making new plans for a gap year instead. I had truly decided to just “let life lead,” something I thought I would never do.

Now, with my senior year coming to a close and graduation being just around the corner in August, I am choosing to “let life lead” more than ever. I’m cherishing the final moments I have with my class (six feet apart of course), embracing whatever new opportunities come my way, and preparing to apply to medical school again. I thought most of my self-growth during college occurred while I was an underclassman, but when I was a senior, Texas A&M threw another life lesson my way. I’m excited to take everything I have learned at Texas A&M, both in and out of the classroom, into my future as I “let life lead.”

A Different Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving break being right around the corner, a lot of us students are jumping with excitement.

Normally during Thanksgiving break, I will make the most of my time off from school to visit with family and catch up and studying before finals week. However, this year my Thanksgiving will be a little different—I will be working a 10-hour shift at a hospital!

During my college career, I have been fortunate enough to take on two jobs. My first job is as an ambassador for the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. However, my second job is as a medical scribe in the emergency department at a local hospital.

As a medical scribe, I get to shadow doctors while typing their charts during their patient visits. As a pre-med student, I was always told to shadow physicians as much as possible to really get a good understanding of their day-to-day schedules.

With scribing, I have been able to consistently shadow while learning a copious amount of medical information. Scribing in the emergency department has also taught me how to be work efficiently because I’m often running around with the doctor who see multiple patients within a short window of time.

I have been scribing for about two years and I learn something new during every shift. This position has given me an immersive healthcare experience and I’m so thankful that I was able to pursue this while being a full-time student.

As a scribe in the emergency department, we often have to work holidays, including Thanksgiving. But even though I will be working during this Thanksgiving instead of being back home, I’m excited to see what I’ll be learning at the hospital during another long, but fun-filled shift!