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MEDICAL STUDENT

PERSPECTIVES

HOW TO FIND YOUR PLACE ON A
PATIENT CARE TEAM:
A NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT’S
APPROACH

By Natalie Clericuzio, MS3

During my second week on the inpatient pediatric hematology/oncology serv-
ice, I realized that I hadn’t been lying to myself for the past two and a half years
of medical school — I belong here. I’m what is referred to as a “nontraditional”
medical student, an umbrella term describing students who strayed from the typ-
ical path to med school. My detours include an undergraduate degree in Classical
Studies with a focus on ancient Latin and working for four years fundraising for
my alma mater. Although I know my atypical path was the only way for me to
achieve my goals, there were days during the preclinical years when I felt uncon-
vinced that I deserved to be here among so many of my exceedingly bright and
capable classmates.
Even on those days, I pushed forward. I coped with my feelings of inadequacy by reassuring myself that my previous life experiences
would one day pay off. I told myself that practicing medicine involved more than just the ability to perform well on standardized tests
(even though success on those tests undeniably stood as the gatekeeper between me and patient care). Thankfully, with the exception
of a few spectacular moments of anxiety, my faith in delayed gratification, much encouragement from supportive friends and family,
and discovering I wasn’t alone in my feelings of self-doubt helped me stay the course.
On the day I saw the real value of my nontraditional skills and experiences, my team in the pedi heme/onc ward was caring for a full
load of patients all in different stages of acute illness, chemotherapy, admission and discharge. As only two medical students and two
residents were on our team, there was more than enough work to go around. With a week on the service under my belt, I had a feel for
the team’s workflow and jumped in wherever possible to help out, making follow-up appointments, checking in on patients, picking up
imaging results — whatever I could to make the day go a little more smoothly. At some point in the middle of the afternoon, I realized
that managing all the tasks to keep our patients as healthy as possible was in many ways not so different from the work I had done as
a project manager in the fundraising office after college.
That realization surprised me. Before beginning medical school, I had looked forward to spending time with patients on the wards,
caring for them and helping allay their fears during medical care. What I hadn’t expected is for my work experience to have prepared
me to contribute to the everyday rhythm of patient care.
As I approach the halfway mark of my third year, I still have moments of self-doubt, and I still have to work hard to prepare for
multiple-choice tests. One thing has changed: the moments of self-doubt come less often, and when they do, it’s getting a little easier
for me to believe myself.

Natalie Clericuzio is a third year at UTHSA whose medical school class voted her the winner of the 'Best Laugh' superlative

20 San Antonio Medicine • January 2018