EMBRACING YOUR CREATIVE SIDE WHILE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL

My Aha Moment Clerkship year of medical school, followed by two months of studying for Step 1 (the first of three medical licensing exams) was easily one of the most difficult periods of my life. When I finished my boards, I felt like I’d become a shell of myself. There had to be more to life than studying all day to cram random facts that I was certain to forget within weeks. During one of my many self-reflection sessions, I thought back to my years in college, which grossly speaking, I really enjoyed. As I sat and thought about my…

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What Christianity Means to Me

I grew up in a very religious household. As a kid, skipping church service was not an option. Despite the fact that it was mandatory, I actually really liked going to church back in the day. But what I liked most were the competitions that fed into my overachiever tendencies. Prizes for perfect attendance at Sunday School or for memorizing Bible verses motivated me. Chances to participate in Christmas and Easter plays allowed me to be the superstar that my childhood-self wanted to be. Christianity took on a new meaning when, at six years old, I made a profession of…

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My Journey Back to the Wards

April 24th marked my first day back to the clinics in almost a year. I’ve spent the past month working at the inpatient psychiatry unit of the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. My first morning, I had the chance to awkwardly stand in the corner (like all good medical students do) as patients ran a Community Meeting. Community Meetings at the VA are ~15-minute meetings where veterans lead a discussion about their care. Everyone in the room – veterans and providers – introduces him or herself. Next, elected veteran representatives remind the group of the unit rules, and veterans have…

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Hello world!

Hi! My name is Atasha Jordan, and I’m a current joint degree student at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. I’m four years into completing a five-year MD-MBA program. It’s crazy how time flies (especially the business school part). About My Past I was born in the beautiful island of Barbados (big ups to BIM!), but I’m also half Trini (Tobagonian to be precise). My family – mum, dad, sister, and brother – moved to the US when I was 8. Okay technically I was 7 but I always round up because 8 sounds nicer to me for some…

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