This summer, I had the opportunity to work and shadow physicians at the McGovern Medical Center in Houston, Texas. The program I worked through is the Gilstrap Summer Program, headed by Wabash alumnus Dr. Sean Blackwall and Dr. Sunbola Ashimi. This seven-week program allowed me to shadow seven different specialties in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department, of which Dr. Blackwell is the chair. These specialties included Labor and Delivery, the Fetal Center, Gynecological Oncology, Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgery, a private OB/GYN clinic, and a general OB/GYN practitioner. Throughout this program, I was able to accumulate over 300 hours of shadowing, including both surgeries and patient interactions. I had the opportunity to help physicians organize and ready the workplace, scrub in to observe surgeries and listen in on patient visits. Additionally, we were able to meet with physicians outside of the workplace to ask questions and discuss aspects of their careers.
This was one of the most enriching experiences I have ever had the opportunity to experience. As a Pre-Medicine student here at Wabash College, being able to see the daily lives and workload of so many different physicians was eye-opening. Working with physicians and medical students allowed me to get a full grasp of the inner workings of medical school and beyond, providing me with future steps in my pre-medical journey. I was able to see how a physician balances their life in and outside of work, and how that structure allows them to be successful in their respective specialty. This experience also opened my eyes to all the different career paths present in Obstetrics and Gynecology, showing the vast amount of opportunities ahead of me if I continue down the Pre-Medicine track. Outside of the work itself, Dr. Blackwell, Dr. Ashimi, and all of the physicians I had the pleasure of working with were very accommodating and eager to teach. I had the opportunity to meet with these physicians outside of work and they were genuinely interested in my path as a student and making sure I understood what was going on throughout the work day. I would like to thank Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Ashimi for allowing me to take part in this opportunity and for being so welcoming to me and the other program participants.
