Columnist Emeritus
Albany Medical College
I'm Jency, a graduate of Siena College in New York where I received a BA in biology and a minor in Franciscan Service and Advocacy. I am currently in the Class of 2016 at Albany Medical College as part of the Siena/AMC combined-degree program in Science, Humanities, and Medicine. What you'll read from me will be an amalgamation of my life experiences and my non-academic thoughts--a mingling of the lighthearted and the thought-provoking. Though a laundry list could never truly encapsulate my (or anyone’s) deepest life’s passions, in a nutshell they are (in no particular order): travel, photography, film, literature, writing, graphic and interior design, comedy, real hip hop, onion rings, and--above all, and in all seriousness--this irresistible pull I feel towards society’s underserved, marginalized populations. They are those whom I fear we, as blossoming medical professionals, will be ill-equipped to care for unless we take positive steps to broaden our horizons and circles of inclusion.
My Mother's Pearls
My mother is a very simple woman. Though she may be a well-respected physician at Columbia University, you might never know it if you saw her. She dresses simply, she speaks kindly, and she cares endlessly. Her wealth lies not in her tangible possessions--she doesn't even own a pearl necklace. Her pearls are of wisdom, and it is those pearls that I hope to share with you.
It is powerful timing that I write the first entry for this column—a tribute to my mother—on Sept. 1, 2013. Today, my Ammachi (my maternal grandmother) passed away. Seeing those words is still a fresh wound, forcing me to externalize a reality that my heart and my mind have yet to come to terms with. This is the woman who helped to raise my two siblings and me; who raised my mother and her two siblings as …
As our friends finish undergrad, apply for jobs, settle down and develop a lifestyle, we are preparing for the next standardized exam, writing that catchy personal statement and requesting another set of recommendation letters on our journey towards residency. Although medicine is not for everyone, for whom it is, it likely is the only choice. After completing three years of medical school, the time finally comes to choose what we will do for the rest …
I entered medical school with the intention of becoming a primary care physician. In my previous years, I was an engineer and researcher, and my affinity for problem solving combined with deeply held interests in quality improvement, patient safety, integrative medicine and nutrition, naturally led me in the direction of primary care. Early in my third year of medical school, however, I found myself disillusioned. The primary care I had experienced was not quite what …
Last night I had one of those horrible nights where bacteria- and virus-laden nonsense raced through my head as I lay in bed, in powerful mockery of my lame attempts at meditation and mind-clearing. Once an hour this was punctuated by becoming fully awake, getting up, and then laying down once again to the same as soon as my head hit the pillow. I’ve been trying to do everything right, too: yoga, running, studying, dinner …
Why do I want to become a general surgeon? The real question is why wouldn’t I want to become a general surgeon? I enjoy the operating room, I find the cases interesting, and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. Even more than all the usual reasons, I feel like there’s something so unique about surgery that is almost indescribable. Being a surgeon is unlike any other career: you get to operate on people. You improve and …
For 24 years I lived in Cambridge, Mass. with or near my parents. I was in high school when my maternal grandfather died, and I remember when my mom and brother met me at a dress rehearsal one evening to share the bad news. I was a few blocks away, living at Harvard summer school, when my dad was briefly hospitalized with an ulcer. I lived just one zip code over when my brother was …
In this day and time, the primary method of communication revolves around social media and technology. Phones, pagers, computers and tablets have overtaken the “snail mail” of a bygone era. No matter what remote corner of the planet you inhabit, you have the ability to stay connected with your loved ones and personal interests. In our careers, we have come to realize that multitasking, especially through web-related technology, is the most productive usage of our …
“Women shouldn’t be surgeons; it is impossible to find a balance between being a mother and a great surgeon.” These were the words I constantly ran into as I started to consider a surgical specialty for my future career. At first, I paid heed to these words and decided to become a pediatric cardiologist. However, before long I realized I just could not be a clinician for life. The idea of treating patients with medications …
When my dad went on medication for hypertension—despite his near-religious routine of daily running and a diet rich in fish and vegetables—I stopped buying cheese, reduced the amount of soy sauce in my stir-fries, and gave up my weekly jars of pickles. Studying the mechanisms of hypertension during our renal theme last year—learning how the kidney adjusts to higher levels of sodium over time—only increased my determination to follow a low-salt diet. All this until …
Last year, my grandmother, who was 83 and dying of everything, was my model patient for each theme. In the order of molecular biology, musculoskeletal, nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory and renal, endocrine systems and microbiology, she had or had had a melanoma, osteoporosis, hypertension, atrial fibrillation and blood clots, emphysema, renal failure requiring dialysis, hypothyroidism and C. diff. She actually did not acquire the hyperthyroidism until the month we began the theme. It was not, …
The excitement of third year of medical school was upon us while we were in orientation. No more spending hours in the library, listening to boring lectures all day, or reading about cases in textbooks. It was time to actually see real patients, work with great doctors, and actually be hands-on while we were on the floors. However, going from the optional class attendance at 9 a.m. to reporting on the floors by 6 a.m. …
I am about to enter one of the most exciting times of my medical school training — my fourth year. This upcoming year is a time filled with Step 2 board studying, elective rotations and, of course, the application process for the 2014 Match. This time is both exciting and scary because I will be working in specialties that I may never do again while at the same time selecting and preparing for a specialty …
Contributing Writer Emeritus
George Washington University School of Medicine
Kerri Vincenti is in the Class of 2014 at The George Washington University School of Medicine. She will be specializing in radiology and plans to complete both her preliminary medicine intern year and radiology residency at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia.
Prior to coming to medical school, she worked in advertising for almost two years after graduating from the University of Delaware with a BS in marketing and management. She is married and currently living in Virginia. In addition to writing, Kerri enjoys amateur photography and international travel.
