The EJI Excellence in Medicine Foundation promotes excellence by providing scholarships to New Jersey residents who are medical, dental, pharmacy and physician assistant students at New Jersey schools. The students selected have demonstrated excellence in scholarship, research, leadership and civic engagement and have stated their intention to practice in New Jersey.
In recorded interviews, the 2021 scholarship recipients were asked to reflect on their experiences as students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The edited transcript below of those interviews gives us insight into the many ways this extraordinary time has shaped the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Charris Allen
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2021
Charris will be a general practice resident at Christiana Care Hospital, Wilmington, DE.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
As a dental student during the pandemic, it was a big eye-opener to see how much the coronavirus could impact our ability to serve the community while complying with all the guidelines. Most of us had not experienced anything like this, so we had to make big adjustments. The pandemic helped me to see how important a support system is not only for me, but also for my patients. Is anyone encouraging them to practice good dental hygiene and good home care? If they don’t have that support system encouraging them to keep up with their home care, it will be difficult for them to progress with their dental treatment and gain all the benefits from that treatment.
What lessons has the pandemic taught us about the need to address health inequities?
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, we were dealing with a big mystery. We learned little by little, day by day (and still are learning). In the past, similar unknowns surrounded viruses like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. That information may have been in a person’s medical history, but not always. This pandemic has reminded us that we always have to be careful to practice safety precautions to keep ourselves safe as providers and to keep our patients safe. We always have to be aware of treating people the same regardless of their gender, race and in this case, systemic health issues. We have to make sure that we’re providing the best care regardless of any of those things. The pandemic helped me pay more attention to and be more conscious of treating all patients the same.
Nathalia Arias-Alzate
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Class of 2021
Nathalia will be staying at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School for her family medicine residency.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
I consider myself fortunate that my family and friends have remained healthy during this pandemic. At the same time, this year has allowed me to realize the importance of social responsibility, not only as a future physician but also as a member of my community. As human beings, we don’t live in isolated spaces, so our words and actions can have a great impact on others. The pandemic has shown me that we must always be prepared for the unexpected, but at the same time, it is important to trust our knowledge and capabilities. Most importantly, it has reminded me of the humanistic qualities of medicine—our role as physician can mean more than just healer; we can also serve as teachers, mentors and friends to our community members during this difficult time.
What lessons has the pandemic taught us about the need to address health inequities?
Working with underserved populations and addressing health inequities has been an important part of my medical education and something that I would love to pursue through residency and beyond. I think the pandemic has taught us the importance of patient and community education, cultural sensitivity and access in addressing these health inequities. Being part of a Hispanic community, I was saddened to learn that in the United States, Hispanic or Latino people are 2.3 times more likely to die of COVID-19 compared to our white, non-Hispanic counterparts. And even though some of these numbers are due to underlying medical conditions that disproportionately affect my community, some of the factors that help the Latino community be resilient, such as strong connections between generations and large families living in the same home, have increased the transmission of the virus. I am a firm believer that an informed and educated community is one that can make the necessary changes to stop the spread of this virus. Data on case numbers, testing and vaccine accessibility information should be provided to all community members in a culturally sensitive way that can be understood regardless of language and literacy level. By making these changes, we can increase access for those in underserved communities in our country, and it would go a long way in addressing the health inequities that lead to some individuals being disproportionally affected by COVID-19.
Brenda Arthur
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Class of 2021
Brenda matched in emergency medicine at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
I went into medicine initially because it provided the opportunity to heal others through continuous learning and teaching throughout my whole life and career. The pandemic has made me confident in my choice to go into medicine. It has made me excited and confident in my choice to go into emergency medicine. Many people have been questioning my decision, asking, “Are you sure you want to be on the front lines when something like this is going on?” And my answer, a thousand times over, is, Yes! I want to be that first person offering whatever I can to anyone in need.
What did resilience mean to you before 2020, and what does it mean to you now?
Before the pandemic, resilience to me was in line with progress. Whatever hand I was dealt, whatever struggle I was going through—resiliency meant pushing forward and trying to continue improving myself. The challenges of the pandemic intertwined with the current social climate have been taxing, mentally, physically and emotionally. Now, resilience to me is more in line with existing and keeping on—not necessarily moving forward. Changing the definition of resilience for myself has helped me to realize that I’m still here and tomorrow is a new day, even though I have my struggles. That shift in mindset has helped me and allowed me to keep going.
Tara Fisher
Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences
Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2021
Tara is pursuing a career as an orthopedic physician assistant.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
The pandemic has brought on unprecedented stresses and struggles that I would not have believed possible a year ago. As a student watching friends and colleagues face this battle on a day-to-day basis, I felt that the problems I faced were small in comparison, and my goal was to support the front-line workers in any way that I could. At Seton Hall, we raised money to create baskets to give to local hospitals throughout New Jersey to show our thanks and support. I want to thank the front-line healthcare workers who braved this battle every day. As a future healthcare provider, I feel even more motivated in my call to service to confront the many challenges that providers face, regardless of their specialty of practice. We truly have seen medicine come together to fight this battle.
The pandemic has brought a renewed focus on the importance of innovation in healthcare. How have the expectations for innovation and the timelines shifted as a result?
As the pandemic progressed, healthcare professionals had to adapt on the fly to the conditions we were presented with, so that we could continue to care for our patients—not only the ill but also the healthy. The population was terrified to continue with annual well visits and regularly scheduled medication checks, and even to seek care for non-COVID-19-related health issues. Healthcare workers had to evolve our practices to provide care for a population safely and effectively. The innovation of telemedicine has enabled providers to care for patients during his challenging time. Scientists and providers worked together to provide needed options for COVID-19 testing. I would like to take a moment to thank those who used their knowledge and modern scientific techniques to mass produce multiple vaccinations to protect us and hopefully let us return to a different normalcy. Through my time at Seton Hall, I’ve been able to grow, not only as a professional but also as a person, and the pandemic has had a significant impact. I’ve learned to treat every patient with respect and compassion and to provide the best possible patient care so that I can truly make a difference.
Jasmine Flowers
Rutgers School of Health Professions
Physician Assistant Program, Class of 2021
Jasmine is exploring future career options as a physician assistant.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
This pandemic has been difficult for all of us. No one has been spared—be it dealing with our loved ones being sick, facing financial difficulties or lacking social interactions. This pandemic has reminded me of my goal as a future healthcare provider, which is to be empathetic toward others and to listen to their unique experiences, so I can tailor the care I provide to their specific needs.
What lessons has the pandemic taught us about the need to address health inequities?
Even before this pandemic, it was important for me to understand how a person’s background impacts their health outcomes. This is becoming even more apparent now as we see people dealing with issues such as the inability to get medication because of financial difficulties. It is really important that we evaluate the whole patient as we move forward. That’s the most important thing that we take from this pandemic. We have to always ask: What are the barriers people face to reach their health goals?
Catherine Hahn
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Class of 2021
Catherine is matched in pediatrics at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ.
What did resilience mean to you before 2020, and what does it mean to you now?
Before the pandemic, I thought of resiliency in a more simplistic way, as a quality that certain people acquire after undergoing extreme hardship. In the media, you see survivors of cancer or natural disasters who are described as resilient. I thought of resiliency as something I could aspire to, but not something I could experience in everyday life. But now, in light of the pandemic, I see resiliency as adapting to the circumstances that you face while simultaneously lifting up those around you. Resiliency is facing the obstacles placed in front of you head on and digging deep within yourself to do what’s right even when it isn’t easy to do. Resiliency doesn’t have to be in the wake of a life-altering event, although COVID-19 has upended all of our lives. I think it’s really about the little moments every day when you continue to put one foot in front of the other, even when you don’t know what lies down the road. Resiliency is also knowing your own limitations, including when to lean on other people for support. It doesn’t mean never having to struggle or always knowing the answers. It’s about asking yourself, “Where do we go from here?” rather than, “Why is this happening to me?” It’s also about having a positive perspective even when there doesn’t seem to be any hope. The pandemic has shown us the resiliency we’re all capable of, because each and every one of us has had to show strength and patience and resolve every day to get through this.
What lessons has the pandemic taught us about combating misinformation and addressing a perceived lack of trust in healthcare providers and scientists?
As new information comes out about the virus, and recommendations change, it is easy to see why people become frustrated. One minute they are told one recommendation, and then, as we learn new information, the expectations suddenly change. The pandemic has shown how critical it is for healthcare providers to build a foundation of trust, not just at the individual level between patient and provider but also between leaders in medicine and the general public on a larger scale. Having scientific knowledge isn’t enough to provide quality medical care. You can have all the knowledge and tools at your disposal that you need to treat a specific disease, but if you and your patient don’t share a trusting relationship, all of that doesn’t matter. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in medical school is the need to be honest when I don’t know something, while simultaneously establishing a plan and a partnership with my patient to take the next steps together.
Erin Hoag
Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Class of 2021
Erin will be an emergency medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
The pandemic has impacted me in many ways. One way is realizing the importance of human interaction. I think we took for granted so many things, like just giving someone a hug or a high-five or hanging out with family and friends. As a future emergency medicine physician, I learned that the unknown is something I need to get used to. I will never know what is about to come through the door, and it may be a disease we are still learning about. I also learned how important you are as a doctor to your patient. You may be their family member, you may be their friend, you may be their shoulder to cry on and their advocate. I’ve heard countless stories of people on their death bed alone in their last hours without their family able to be there. The nurses, the doctors and the hospital staff were their family at that time. That is a huge privilege; it’s amazing to not only take care of people but also to be there for them as their family member or friend in that time of need.
What did resilience mean to you before 2020, and what does it mean to you now?
The word resilience has taken on a new meaning since the pandemic. Those on the front lines, not only healthcare workers but also the people who interact with the public and whose jobs are necessary to our daily lives (like grocery store workers), showed us what resiliency is. It means pushing through, even when you don’t know when you’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel. Resiliency was seen in the people who showed up every day without knowing what they were facing or what was going to happen. They went to work, did their job and did the best that they could with the information they had. There is no way we could have gotten to the positive direction we are heading now without the resiliency of all the people who worked together through this difficult time. Some of these people have been publicly recognized, but there are so many others who quietly pushed through each day. This speaks volumes about who they are and who we are as a nation.
Ioannis Serris
Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy, Class of 2021
Ioannis will be a pharmacy resident at Community Medical Center, Toms River, NJ.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
As the COVID-19 pandemic became a reality, I was starting my rotations in my last year of pharmacy school. I remember there being so much uncertainty. When will I graduate? Will I go on rotations? Where will I be in a year? Before I got answers to these academic questions, the devastating outcomes we heard about daily started to occur, and there came a huge call for healthcare workers. Suddenly, I was on rounds in the intensive care unit (ICU) looking at National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines, which were updated almost weekly, trying to provide medication recommendations to the healthcare team. At that point, the only thing that mattered was providing the best patient care possible.
This experience was challenging for me, but I saw some positives come out of it, too. During the pandemic, pharmacists saw an opportunity to use their skill set in new ways. Helping the medical team understand the many details about medications and making the best recommendations for patients had a significant impact on the quality of patient care. As a future pharmacist, I consider it an honor to have the opportunity to serve as a critical member of a team providing the best healthcare possible to our patients.
The pandemic has brought a renewed focus on the importance of innovation in healthcare. How have the expectations for innovation and the timelines shifted as a result?
Innovation is developing and implementing a new idea, and that was a key driving factor in dealing with this pandemic. For example, manufacturing a vaccine and getting it approved for distribution usually takes years. New ideas and methods were needed to quickly stop unnecessary suffering due to the pandemic. Many hospital clinicians converted to vaccinators; others became involved in the vaccine distribution management process. Vaccine centers came with their own challenges: Who will get the vaccine first? How many can we schedule each day? How will you deal with walk-ins? How do you maintain social distance? How will we monitor people for unfavorable reactions to the vaccine? The healthcare community needed to be willing to change and adapt, and to fill any role to help the process.
Afra Guia Antoinette Trinidad
Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Class of 2021
Afra will be attending Robert Wood Johnson Medical School while continuing to work as a pharmacist.
How has the pandemic impacted you and how you view yourself as a future healthcare provider?
During the pandemic, I was lucky to be able to continue my work as a hospital technician. I had ample exposure to the effects of the pandemic on my fellow healthcare workers and their patients and their families. I have been privileged to witness those moments of hope alongside those moments of loss, sadness and pain that have defined the last year. Most memorable for me are the times when I would hear the song “Here Comes the Sun” over the loudspeaker whenever a patient was extubated. And I remember seeing the flowers and gifts, big and small, and families video calling each other to offer support in times of celebration and in times of mourning. I would see strangers donating quietly to organizations that supported underserved or other communities in need, and I would hear clapping and cheering when patients with COVID-19 were discharged. Those times made up for the times that were much harder. I cried sometimes during my shifts or during my clinicals. Seeing the impact of death on families and on healthcare workers was very difficult. This experience helped solidify my decision to go into the medical field. I want to be part of the reason why I hear a happy song playing in the hallway, and I want to recognize the great privilege I’m afforded when I am able to ease someone else’s burden. I want to be this person for those in the communities that need it most—the people who lack access to adequate resources of care. I believe healthcare is the place where I can have the biggest impact serving other people in need.
What lessons has the pandemic taught us about the need to address health inequities?
The spread of the coronavirus didn’t necessarily teach us new or profound lessons about health inequity that we weren’t already aware of. Rather, it renewed the public focus on the necessity for systemic changes in our healthcare system. Every step of the way, we saw a stark juxtaposition between those with adequate access to care and those in underserved communities. We saw that difference in hospitals, especially in communities where resources are scarce. But the difference was even more noticeable outside the hospital. We saw people in low-income urban settings unable to social distance due to their living quarters. We saw blue-collar workers who had no option but to continue going to work to keep their income, even when they may have had a recent exposure. And we saw people with less accessibility to the vaccine, whether it was due to poor distribution of resources, lack of personal technology to book appointments, poor health literacy or general distrust of the healthcare system. Addressing healthcare inequity isn’t solely about health and medicine; it’s also about the socioeconomic and educational inequities. We’re reminded that work, education, problems at home, all of these social determinants of health, play a role in our current health crisis and the crises we’ll face in the future. As a student, my role in addressing these inequities at this point in time is to provide the best education possible to people in underserved communities—to really take the time to listen, and to hear, and to earn patients’ trust by understanding why they distrust the system.
Britney Wilson
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Class of 2022
What did resilience mean to you before 2020, and what does it mean to you now?
My definition of resilience has not changed. For me, it always meant that no matter what happened in life, I had to keep pushing forward. I could never lose sight of my ultimate goal of becoming a physician one day. Having had experience with resiliency in the past helped me push through during the pandemic. Before the pandemic, I relied on my grandfather for encouragement, guidance and financial support. Then he died due to COVID-19 just as the pandemic began, and I lost all that. I initially thought I’d have to give up my goals and dreams, but I knew I had to keep going and find a way.
What lessons has the pandemic taught us about the need to address health inequities?
The pandemic has taught us that we need to do better addressing health inequities. The disproportionate number of African Americans and other minorities who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic reflect the unbalanced distribution of health resources and the poorer underlying housing and job conditions among these groups. There is a great deal of distrust within the minority community. I remember early on—in March and April 2020—I had friends and family who thought that COVID-19 was something that was made up, not real. Now, I have family members who do not want to get the vaccine because they don’t trust the healthcare system. As healthcare providers, we must find a way to gain the trust of our minority communities through education and improved communication.
