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WOMEN IN
MEDICINE

worked for while in college at Texas A&M. I still remember the exact short years ago. Though more change should occur, the progress made
time and place when she told me about her breast cancer diagnosis. She thus far should be celebrated, steriley, of course.
then experienced an arduous course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, fol-
lowed by a mastectomy and lymph node dissection, followed by more References
chemo and radiation. I also remember the shockingly immediate effects 1. Women close med school enrollment gap, but others remain.
that lymphedema had on her quality of life. To this day, she still must Women Close Med School Enrollment Gap, but Others Remain.
wear an upper extremity compression sleeve, even while seeing patients, (2020, February 28). Retrieved October 4, 2021, from
even outside in the hot, Texas heat. After having rotated in various as- https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/20200228lv
pects of general surgery during medical school and now intern year, I -diversity.html.
can’t help but think back to my mentor and the first surgery I partici- 2. Data & Reports. AAMC. (2021, June 11). Retrieved October 5,
pated in. It has inspired me to pursue a career in plastic and reconstruc- 2021, from https://www.aamc.org/data-reports.
tive surgery where I can be part of surgical planning, starting the 3. Women surgeons: defining the future of surgery. (2021, July 30).
conversation about reconstruction and microsurgery options from the Retrieved October 4, 2021, from https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/
beginning. I believe that reconstructive surgery will allow me to make notes/postings/2021/07/women-surgery-residents.php#.YVtG
patients feel beautiful and confident about themselves after cancer or 90bMJH0
a traumatic event and can improve their quality of life.
Though working eighty hours per week without much time for eat- Taylor Sullivan, DO is graduate of the inaugural class at UIW-
ing or sleeping was an adjustment, I believe surgery is the most reward- SOM, current General Surgery resident at UTHSCSA and mem-
ing and challenging area of medicine. Surgical training in 2021 is ber of the BCMS Publications Committee.
different for me than it was for my female predecessors, even just a few

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