The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
What is your hometown?
Carroll, IA.
How or when did you become interested in science and medicine?
Neil: Since I was young, I always had some desire to practice medicine. However, in college I was an undecided science major until I worked at a youth summer camp and realized how much I enjoy working with and caring for people. While there are many jobs that provide an opportunity to work with people, I wanted a career that will be intellectually challenging, and will continue to interest me for the rest of my life. The practice of medicine incorporates all of these, and is a great fit for me.
Nate: I remember bringing “science experiments” to show-and-tell to demonstrate scientific concepts to my classmates in kindergarten. I loved trying to figure out how things worked, and I think that curiosity translated directly into the classroom in all subjects, not just science. My father, a family physician, was always a large role model for me, and seeing the joy he had in practicing medicine helped me gravitate towards the same fate.
How or why did you choose the University of Iowa to attend medical school?
Neil: Both my parents went to professional schools at the University of Iowa, so I grew up hearing about the great education at the University of Iowa. Naturally, when I chose to go to medical school, my first choice was the University of Iowa.
Nate: The UI Carver College of Medicine was on my radar since I was a young boy. My grandfather, and father, both became family physicians after graduating from the college in 1948 and 1979, respectively. They always praised the first-rate and high value education they’d received here. When I first visited the campus, I was drawn to the friendly people and the first class facilities, and the faculty that I met seemed thrilled to share their knowledge with the students. During the last two years, I have realized that we are lucky to have such an exceptional and respected institution in our state.
Is there a teacher, mentor or University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine faculty member who has helped shape your education?
Neil: Dr. Ben Pardini (98MPAS), the head of Flocks community has been a wonderfully supportive resource. He really makes an effort to get to know the students in his community and has even hosted community events at his home to provide a venue for student and faculty social interaction.
Nate: In my first two years, I’ve had a number of very positive experiences with faculty members who have facilitated many small group sessions, including Dr. Jeff Murray, Dr. Michael Takacs, Dr. Joel Gordon, and Dr. Deborah Lin-Dyken (91F-Pediatrics). Dr. Jill Endres (93BA, 97MD) with the Department of Family Medicine has been very helpful during my involvement with the Family Medicine Interest Group. I look forward to working closely with more faculty members during my rotations.
What kinds of opportunities or advantages does being a medical student at Iowa provide? What about challenges?
Neil: Being a medical student at the University of Iowa provides many advantages as well as challenges. The small group settings that are a portion of many first year courses have been a wonderful opportunity to get to know my classmates better, as well as to provide a chance to ask questions about the material outside of lecture. However, one of the challenges I have faced as a medical student is time management. With lectures, labs, small groups, tutor sessions, and interest groups all requiring time, it is easy to forget that the real reason we are here is to learn how to become great doctors.
Nate: Being a medical student at the University of Iowa offers nearly endless possibilities. I really appreciate the academic advantage that results from having teams of faculty who are open to input and change in order to create a strong, student friendly curriculum. Outside of the classroom, there are interest groups for every aspect of medicine, and clubs to allow individuals to meet other students and faculty who share their interests, whether it’s singing, writing, biking, etc. The challenge is in not stretching oneself too thinly with involvement in too many groups and activities.
What are your professional goals and interests?
Neil: I haven’t yet decided which specialty fits me best. I think it is important to wait until I get a chance to do some of the rotations during my third and fourth years before making a decision on specialization. However, I do think that there are many people who can’t afford health care, so no matter what I end up specializing in I think it will be important to volunteer some of my time at free medical clinics which help provide care to those who can’t afford to pay for it themselves.
Nate: I am really looking forward to the next two years of rotations, which should allow me to get a feel for the different specialties and ultimately allow me to choose one whose challenges excite me, and in which I can excel.
What are some of your outside interests?
Neil: When I have some free time, I really enjoy reading fictional, non-scientific books, as well as spending time outside cycling, walking my dog, or playing bocce ball. I also love watersports and spending time on the water.
Nate: I have so many “distractions” that add variety to my life as a student. Music and the arts have always played a large part in my life, whether I’m singing in a choir, dancing and acting on-stage, or playing piano and guitar. When I get the opportunity, I love to travel and do landscape photography. I’m always learning something new about computers and there are always a few technology projects on my to-do list. During the summers, I love to spend time on the water with my family, doing sports such as windsurfing, wakeboarding, kite-surfing, and sailing. In the last few years, I’ve also competed in a number of triathlons, including two Ironman triathlon races.
Do you participate in any community service/outreach projects? If so, what are they and what have your experiences been?
Neil: During my years as an undergraduate, I was a regular volunteer at the weekly Ames Free Medical Clinic. This was a great experience, as it provided a great variety of perspectives on health care and the gaping holes in health coverage for many people. During the next few years I look forward to finding similar opportunities in Iowa City to volunteer my developing skills and knowledge. More recently during the tragic flooding in Iowa City I was sandbagging with dozens of people I had never met, and was moved by the outpouring of community support. The communities of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Coralville will need plenty of help rebuilding and recovering from the damage, and I look forward to meeting many more new people throughout the long clean-up process.
Nate: Last year I organized and designed a t-shirt campaign to raise money and awareness for AIDS research and education. Now that I have “survived” the first two years of medical school I am feeling more comfortable with my ability to succeed, and I would like to get involved with an organization that provides medical care and treatments to those in the community who are unable to afford or access it.
Do you have an insight or philosophy that guides you in your work?
Neil: My philosophy is that there is no better way to spend your day than by solving problems and helping people improve their quality of life. While medicine may not be emotionally, physically, or mentally easy, it is important to remember the reasons you entered medical school. For me, that is enough to get me reenergized about the practice of medicine.
Nate: I think that success and happiness come to those who are always asking questions and looking for opportunities to learn. Medicine is an ever changing field and those who can cultivate their love for science and service will be best equipped to create positive changes in their patient’s lives and their communities.
If you could change one thing about the world (or the world of medicine), what would it be?
Neil: If I could change one thing about the world of medicine, it would be to provide better medical care for the disadvantaged population in the United States. There is always a great deal of interest in helping deserving, underserved populations overseas, but even with some of the most advanced equipment and techniques in the world, we have huge numbers of people in the U.S. who can’t afford quality medical care because insurance premiums are too high. More funding for free clinics and low-cost, quality health insurance needs to be a priority for policy makers and physicians alike.
Nate: Our country has a medical system with rapidly rising costs that aren’t being matched by appropriate increases in quality of care and patient outcomes. Insurance has become unaffordable for many Americans, and it has become obvious that drastic changes must be implemented in the near future.
What one piece of advice would you give to students who are interested in applying to medical school?
Neil: Study hard and learn everything you can, but most importantly don’t ever forget why you want to practice medicine.
Nate: Medical school is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. Be sure to volunteer and shadow as many health professionals as you can before applying. Those experiences will not only help validate your interest in medicine, but they often result in knowledge and skills that will make your learning process easier. Also, make sure to develop other non-medically related activities and interests to maintain balance in life.
What do you see as "the future" of medicine?
Neil: I see many changes in medicine in the future. Of great interest will be individualized medicine, where certain screening procedures may be done based on the individual’s genetic susceptibility. Genetic testing has already made significant impacts on a number of diseases, and its influence will likely continue to increase indefinitely.
Nate: This is an exciting time for the field of medicine. New technologies and medical discoveries are increasing quality of care and quality of life for millions of patients. I’m particularly encouraged by the long overdue widespread adoption of electronic health records systems in clinics and hospitals across the country. With the proper implementation, these systems have the potential to improve patient outcomes and follow-up, facilitate rapid communication and information sharing between physicians and care providers, and increase efficiencies while controlling costs. Telemedicine is another advance that has the promise to bring expert consultation to underserved and inaccessible areas.