Professional Dancer Takes a New Step into Medicine

“I was trying to reinvent myself and wanted to explore new things in college,” said Jackson. “Swing dance caught my eye. I loved it. I went to some classes, but once a week wasn’t enough. I wanted to do more.”

The Kansas City native gradually branched out, attending salsa clubs in the city and later taking up more formal dance training at her college, where she studied modern dance and ballet. By her senior year, Jackson started to audition for every opportunity that came her way, including local dance companies and schools. 

"Dance was definitely a deviation from my original plan after college,” said Jackson. “I spent hours in the studio in college and decided to take dance more seriously. Most dancers start when they’re five or six years old. I felt like I had a lot to catch up on.”

Jackson was accepted into the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, where she focused on refining her foundation and technique, having started dance relatively late. At the school, she danced six hours a day, Monday through Friday, with rehearsals in the evenings and on weekends. She attended the school for two years. Afterward, she began dancing professionally and exploring choreography. As she danced, she never let go of her science background. She was a tutor in math, science, and SAT prep. She also picked up photography naturally, having many friends in the arts who needed a professional headshot.

“Dance was a lot to handle,” said Jackson. “I had a lot of overuse injuries, but I was doing something I loved. Even though I was exhausted at times, I loved all the classes I took and enjoyed learning, stretching, and making progress. When I started, I could barely do a turn, but by the end, I could perform a double quite well.”

When she began to suffer from overuse injuries, she started to research prevention techniques and practiced strength training. The moment she started to think about a career in medicine was when she had tendonitis in her ankle, making it difficult for her to move.

“I saw a physician who helped diagnose my tendonitis and gave me treatment,” said Jackson. “He also recommended that I see a physical therapist, which was the first spark that led me to medicine. I really enjoyed my physical therapy regimen and my therapist was great. He was good at explaining the muscles and ligaments involved, how they respond to overuse, and how to train them to improve. It really helped with my dancing.”

Jackson continued to ask her physician and physical therapist questions to learn more about her injuries while also considering how to transition into a new career. She also noticed that her healing process took much longer with each injury. Then, in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

“Dancing, as much fun as it is, comes with a hectic lifestyle,” she said. “Sometimes you’re super busy running around, and other times there’s no work. Then, with the pandemic, all the dance gigs stopped overnight. That was the signal for me to start using this free time to explore a career in health care.”

Jackson stayed in New York and went back to college to refresh her knowledge in the sciences. She shadowed physical therapists and further explored what a career as a physician would look like. She applied to medical schools nationwide and chose New York Medical College due to the institution's strong support for students.

“I noticed that the College really helps their students succeed with the many services they provide,” she said. “Everything just felt like a good fit.”

From dancing morning, noon, and night to spending hours studying medical terminology, Jackson occasionally reflects on her dance career and appreciates the discipline and time management skills it instilled in her, which have shaped her later in life.

“My experience in arts and education had a big influence on the kind of doctor I want to be. I think if I had considered medicine earlier, it would be completely different. I don't think I would be as good of a physician or medical student.”