DocDreams

Genuine, thoughtful, and honest, Jordan is someone I have a lot of respect for and always look forward to speaking with. In this conversation, we discuss his life growing up in Auburn NY, his love for track and field, and early experiences in a dental clinic. He also shares a touching story of how he came to HSDM and offers a candid perspective on race and representation in dental medicine at Harvard. After graduation, he hopes to open a private practice with his older brother (super cool).

Chai shares what it was like growing up in California with a mother who emigrated from Guatemala and a father with a lifelong illness. From an early age, he learned to persevere through adversity as he earned awards for his scholarship and athletic endeavors while caring for his younger siblings. At Stanford, he was a focused student who had his sights on medical school but never forgot the community from which he came. In medical school, Chai exhibits great courage and confidence everyday by stepping up to tackle difficult problems presented in class.

Quiet and humble, Chris’s demeanor belies his extraordinary life journey. Raised in Cambridge MA, he describes his struggles in high school and experiences in the Marines thereafter. A fateful accident turned his sights to the world of medicine and led him to enroll at UMass Amherst where he juggled final exams and raising a child. In this episode, he reflects on many life events and the duty of the physician to patients.

Oftentimes, when we don’t know a person too well, we resort to calling them “nice.” Logan is different in the sense that the more you get to know her, the more you realize how kind this already friendly person is. In this episode, Logan opens up to share a heartfelt account about growing up in North Carolina, her transformative years at Duke, and her dedication to studying childhood development. Those listening should prepare to experience strong emotions throughout this episode.

Born in Colombia, Gus moved to Florida at a young age where he had to mature quickly. He reveals the setbacks of his childhood and high school years and his strategy for successfully navigating the premed curriculum at the University of South Florida. One of the most genuine people you’ll meet, Gus is incredibly generous with sharing his time with others and has a deep commitment to learning the art of medicine.

Julianna breaks down her early experiences in a tight-knit school system that valued community service and finding an identity while attending the University of Southern California. Through the mentors she met at USC, she found an interest in learning the French language and eventually went to Senegal on a Fulbright scholarship to work with families of children with disabilities. Passionate about teaching and research, she hopes to integrate her work in medicine with advocacy.

When I sat with Trevor to have this conversation back in March, I felt a brief sense of normalcy though everything in our world was changing. Born in a small town in California, Trevor shares the importance of family and the close ties he formed with people in his community. Moreover, he reflects on shadowing physicians back in grade school and the effect of these experiences on his interest in medicine. Brilliant and humble, he’s a fantastic classmate who never fails to lend a hand to his colleagues.

A native of Athol, MA, Bradley is truly one of a kind. Here, he shares stories about his hometown, his time as captain of the Brandeis baseball team, and adversities he’s had to overcome on his path to Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dedicated to serving people and focused on his craft, he will become a great oral surgeon.

Born in a household with two doctors as parents, Brendan had to do some soul searching to convince himself that attending medical school was the right decision. His travels to India and Peru fostered an interest in global health disparities. A fearless and outspoken advocate, he’s passionate about upholding our communities’ values of justice and fairness.

In this conversation, Victor breaks down why New Yorkers are “so cool” and talks about the transformative experience of attending Howard University. Introspective and curious, he’s always in the midst of exploring different facets of humanity by writing short stories. As a full-fledged physician, he hopes to combine his love of literature with an expertise in health policy, working in North America and Africa.