NYMed Talks Highlights Success Through Diversity
Taking a day to think outside of the box and the traditional academic curriculum, medical students assembled for the Sixth Annual NYMed Talks on April 11.
This year, leaders from various backgrounds and specialties were invited to speak on the theme: "Success Through Adversity.” NYMed Talks was planned and executed by members of the Class of 2022 Student Senate, from left: Kelsey O'Hagan, Daniel Bassily, Alborz Omidian, Matthew Holstein and Nancy Wei. This year’s event was sponsored by the School of Medicine Alumni Association Board of Governors and the Board of Advisors.
Sharing their challenges and experiences and how they persevered, the speakers included Fawaz Al-Mufti, M.D., a triple-trained neurologist, neurointensivist and neuroendovascular surgeon who worked with Doctors Without Borders for many years; Leanne Forman, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine and vice chair of the Department of Medicine, who has served diverse populations and developed outreach and community programs; Jesus Paez-Cortez, M.D., Ph.D., a senior scientist working on Crohn’s disease and other inflammoatry processes at Abbvie, a pharmaceutical company; Vincent Blood, M.D., assistant professor of surgery and critical care surgery specialist at Westchester Medical Center; and Michael Crupain, M.D. ’06, medical director at The Dr. Oz Show.
“It's challenging to get medical students engaged in events outside of their studies, but our speakers and their experiences are relevant to our journey through medicine just as the materials we're learning in class,” said Alborz Omidian.
“It was incredibly rewarding to see all the hard work we had put in for the last few months come together on that day. Our speakers spoke on a broad range of topics, but I think a common theme that emerged throughout the course of the day is how everybody's journey takes them on a different path. There's no real “one track to success” you need to follow in life, and you're never limited to only one option,” said Matthew Holstein.
Following the talks, a residency and career fair filled the lobbies of the Medical Education Center and the Basic Sciences Building, with residency directors, fellows and residents happy to field questions about different specialties, research opportunities and career planning.
