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The Beginning of My Journey
From the time that I was little I knew that I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to be the individual with the white coat whose purpose was to compassionately heal and treat others. As a child I would get “goose bumps” when I was in the hospital or doctor’s office knowing very well that I wanted to be a physician more than anything else in the world. With the love and support from my family and friends, I was encouraged never to let go of that dream.
I entered my senior year in high school with high hopes of playing football in college. I found myself staring into the backfield of the opposing team under the bright lights of my second football game. Amidst the commotion and roars around me, my awareness and determination were heightened as I focused on bringing down the running back. On the snap of the ball, I sprinted to the outside only to find myself blocked by an imposing lineman. I fell down and struggled to pull myself up before heading to the sideline. Little did I know that my career was over in an instant: my ACL was torn in two.
On the morning of my surgery I was overwhelmed and looked for guidance in the pre-op room. I was surprised to see my best friend and his father, an orthopedic surgeon, come to support me prior to the operation. His gentle words of compassion gave me a renewed inner strength and an open heart to trust in my doctor to fix my torn knee. This experience changed the way I felt about the life of a physician and their ability to heal and serve.
From that point forward I spent many hours studying for school, involving myself in different medical experiences, and serving others in a variety of organizations at school and within the community – all of which have marked my journey towards having the opportunity to become a future physician in medical school. I was fortunate to have been selected by the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville for an interview. During my interview day, I was amazed by the school’s facilities, attention to patient care, and the community of students, faculty, and staff who appeared determined to find ways to improve the lives of all those in Greenville.
I still remember the morning that I received a phone call from a Greenville area code. As I began to pick up my phone to answer, my hand began shaking uncontrollably. I heard a voice inform me that I had been accepted into USCSOMG, and I mustered up all my strength and composure to express my thanks without breaking down from emotion. Unable to contain my feelings, I fell to my knees in gratitude and praise. I knew that from that point forward in my life that I would be able to fulfill and live out my dreams as a physician. I will never forget that feeling within my heart.
Having now completed over a month of medical school, I never knew that I would have a similar feeling to that morning every day that I wake up for school. Greenville’s medical school has developed a curriculum centered on bettering the lives of both future patients and future doctors. My involvement with the EMT program has already allowed me to experience patients in the community – many of whom are in desperate need of care. My classmates are a diverse group of driven, curious, inquisitive, and compassionate individuals who are seeking to improve the overall health of the community. My teachers are highly motivated to teach students to think creatively and innovatively as we work together in a cohesive group to discern solutions to problems tangled in difficult circumstances. We have already been taught how to connect with patients during an interview and work with patients as a team to alleviate their pain. I have been humbled by my colleagues’ ability to listen and foster relationships with one another. I believe that this approach to medicine has the potential to change the nature of the physician-patient relationship. It is imperative to have someone who will listen and understand a patient’s problems amidst our busy modern life. This compassionate way of listening allows for a progression towards self-affirmation. Greenville’s students are seeking to uplift the hearts of others without any form of judgment or apprehension.
Prior to my ACL football injury in high school, I volunteered at a local school for developing children. I was one of three members of my football team selected to bring our football helmets and shoulder pads for the children to wear. I later found out that I had placed my helmet on a young child who has never allowed anyone to get near his upper extremities. I was the first person in his life to have touched his head with my hands. I was astounded to hear that since that day, the young boy has allowed his parents to touch his head and face. Moments like this represent the love I wish to give as a doctor. As I wake up each day, I envision myself assisting others with a deep regard for the compassion and dignity of all human life. I aspire to open my heart to others and give patients a renewal of strength just as was done for me. Whenever I am in need of motivation, all I have to do is walk in the hospital and medical school and witness the compassionate healing taking place. I then know that I am in the right place.
“Many times when we help we do not really serve. . . . Serving is also different from fixing. One of the pioneers of the Human Potential Movement, Abraham Maslow, said, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.’ Seeing yourself as a fixer may cause you to see brokenness everywhere, to sit in judgment of life itself. When we fix others, we may not see their hidden wholeness or trust the integrity of the life in them. Fixers trust their own expertise. When we serve, we see the unborn wholeness in others; we collaborate with it and strengthen it. Others may then be able to see their wholeness for themselves for the first time.”
― Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
Tee Griscom
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