DMS Alumni Reflections
What was memorable about your DMS preparation in becoming a physician?
Some of the more memorable things for me were drawing each others blood before medical school even started; my first day of gross anatomy, and last but not least was the white coat ceremony.
Who were the faculty or staff that played an important role in your professional develop as a doctor?
Elmer Pfefferkorn., Joe O'Donnell, Jim Bell and David Nierenberg were all very important in my professional development.
What programs or activities during your medical school years do you specifically remember?
The ones I specifically remember are H.E.A.R.T, Koop student doc, and my 4th year classes which were very well done.
—Anonymous '00
What was memorable about your DMS preparation in becoming a physician?
What I remember the most is the commitment of the faculty to teaching and the respect for the patient. I learned to take my role as a physician to heart.
Who were the faculty or staff that played an important role in your professional develop as a doctor?
Dr. Mosenthal, who I miss dearly, spent time with me one on one brain cutting because I had difficult with neuroanatomy. Now I am a cognitive neuroscientist. He was an incredible teacher.
Dr. Pfefferkorn, who made medicine an exciting adventure, and who loved his students.
Dr. Filiano, who taught me both how to make my patients my first priority and maintain my own life so I could continue to serve them. Dr. O'Donnell who encouraged us to value life and ourselves.
Dr. Nierenberg, who taught me about the moral imperative of the physician and kept me away from drug companies. Dr. Binder, who made me appreciate the wonder of the human body, though the task of understanding it was at times insurmountable.
Dr. Michelle Luria, who made it hard for me not to choose OB/GYN and who delivered my son.
What programs or activities during your medical school years do you specifically remember?
I fondly remember sitting in the lecture hall, hour after hour. I specifically remember Dr. Pfefferkorn's lectures, "On Doctoring," Dr. Mosenthal and Dr. Binder in anatomy lab, all of the third year clinical rotations, my rotation at the NH State Hospital for Psychiatry and the patients there, as well as all the labs and the comradery of the students.
—Lisa Pan, MD, DMS '00
What was memorable about your DMS preparation in becoming a physician?
From day one of drawing blood on each other, to our second year small groups and parties in the cafeteria after big tests, I always felt like I was part of a big DMS family. My class treated our education like a team project rather than a competition between students; study groups, sharing good notes, and supporting each other through hard times are just some examples. When we all went out separate ways for much of 3rd and 4th year, it was so comforting to "come home" for our 4th year spring classes all together again.
Who were the faculty or staff that played an important role in your professional develop as a doctor?
Throughout my 4 years, Dr. Joe O'Donnell was a consistent role model. He was my small group leader for 1st and 2nd year, and a mentor for my Schweitzer fellowship. He provided me support and advice when my father got very ill during my third year, and helped me formulate my rank list.
Dr. Deb Peltier was my IM attending at the VA during 3rd year and continued to be a role model for me throughout my remaining time at DMS. In her, I saw the physician I was hoping to be-empathetic, enthusiastic, and warm.
Dr. XX (I can't recall his name, I feel awful!!) was my attending for outpatient medicine in Brattleboro, VT. His love for learning and his patients, and the actual arrangement of his practice solidified my career choice-being an outpatient general internist.
I hate to leave out all the basic science people that motivated me, many did. So many excellent teachers from pathology to biochemistry to parasitology, I can't name them all!
What programs or activities during your medical school years do you specifically remember?
There are too many to name, but I'll pick just one. Since I was a young child, I have loved to dissect things, calf hearts, and pig kidneys, whatever. Anatomy class at DMS felt like more of the same. I spent the year so enthralled by the human body. At the end of the year, we organized the usually ceremony for the donated bodies, and I volunteered to read a poem. I simply felt like I was taking part in a school project. During the ceremony, so many family members of the deceased were present with photos of our cadavers as living, loving people. I left as soon as I could, hid in the bathroom, and bawled. The realization of what each body really meant, and the sacred nature of the field I was entering, had finally hit me.
—Maya Mitchell Land, MD, DMS '00
Med School, by its nature, can be very stifling. The creative outlets at DMS-Dermatones, Partners in Health, Medstock, and International Health (DIHG) -were so important to maintain balance and sanity, as well as stimulate your brain beyond memorizing algorisms and fitting into a submissive student role. I am grateful for those opportunities at DMS.
—Anonymous '00
What was memorable about your DMS preparation in becoming a physician?
The feeling of being part of this DMS family was particularly memorable.
Who were the faculty or staff that played an important role in your professional develop as a doctor?
Sarah Johansen, MD, Richard Barth, MD, David Nirenberg, MD, Ken Buchard, MD, Victor Gordon MD.
What programs or activities during your medical school years do you specifically remember?
Dr. Gordon's Wednesday morning chest X-ray/EKG sessions, Dr. Buchard's physiology lessons at bedside, LCE(Now On Doctoring) with Sarah Johansen, Dr. Nierenberg's Ethics lectures/points, and working in Dr. Barth's lab over the summer.
—Anonymous '00
Early in my 3rd year, I traveled to Manchester for my outpatient medicine rotation. The food was suspect, the accommodations dim and cramped, and I was not particularly excited about the rotation content. My outlook changed soon after I met Dr. Victor Gordon. This kind, energetic and thoroughly caring physician took me under his wing and made my month in Manchester one of the most rewarding of my time at DMS. We spent our lunch hours and time after work reviewing EKGs and X Rays while discussing his past (a Romanian immigrant) and medicine in general. Our relationship helped me through the remainder of my time at DMS and into Residency.
—Tom Stamp '00
What was memorable about your DMS preparation in becoming a physician?
Intellectual curiosity of people like Dr. Pfefferkorn, Dr. Mosenthal, and Dr. McDaniel.
Who were the faculty or staff that played an important role in your professional develop as a doctor?
House staff mentors like Kari Rosenkrantz and Chris Alessi (Now both DHMC attending).
What programs or activities during your medical school years do you specifically remember?
Career guidance from Dr. Dan Walsh, vascular surgery, Dr. Richard Dow, and Dr. Ken Buchard.
—Anonymous '00
What was memorable about your DMS preparation in becoming a physician?
Not a single day goes by that I do not talk or think about my experience at DMS. I talk about this great school to my colleagues, patients, and prospective medical students. The quality of education at DMS is the best I have seen or could possibly improve. I frequently miss our caring basic science and clinical instructors. I enjoyed and clearly remember all aspects of my education including lectures, small group sessions, and clinical rotations.
Who were the faculty or staff that played an important role in your professional develop as a doctor?
There are many staff who played an important role in my professional development, including all basic science and clinical instructors.
My support to DMS will continue to grow.
—Vladimir Grigoryants '00