What is Consulting: The MD Perspective

When I started my MBA at Wharton, I had no idea that I would spend my summer doing consulting at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Throughout my internship recruiting process, I took the time to reflect on what I hoped to do in the future and what I wanted to learn over the summer. In terms of long-term impact, I knew that I want to contribute to improving mental health services in the Caribbean. To make this lofty goal a little more tangible, I then thought about where I could gain skills to prepare me to manage health systems down…

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Introvert’s Guide to Making the Most of a High School or College Reunion

College reunion season is wrapping up, and high school reunions seem to happen at varying times of the year. Whether you just had a reunion or have one coming up, everyone can use some help to make the most of a high school or college reunion. For extroverts, reunions are exhilarating because of the chance to surround oneself with tens, if not hundreds, of familiar faces. Introverts may be equally excited, but just the thought of navigating large event spaces to find friends can be daunting. Everyone can benefit from this guide to making the most of a high school…

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Dismantling Pride: The Importance of Vulnerability

While on rotations, I often take advantage of the opportunity to eat outside. One day last month, when it was finally nice out, I sat on a picnic bench, under the beautiful tree pictured below, to eat my lunch (there’s this bomb food truck outside of the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) with $4-$6 lunch sandwiches! The frugal queen in me rejoices…but I digress). During this particular lunch break, I thought back to a veteran (I’ll call him Mr. X) I had seen earlier that day. Mr. X said, “I used to be too embarrassed to say I don’t…

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Healing Doesn’t Happen Overnight

Two days into a hospital admission for the treatment of alcohol dependence and detox, a patient of mine wanted to go home. He said that he would be able to handle rehab on his own by attending AA meetings. When he mentioned his desire to leave, many thoughts raced through my mind: Was he having an alcohol craving? Was he bored of the arts and craft activities on the unit? Did he want to go hang out with his friends? Was he missing a significant other? Whatever his thought process, his end goal was clear: he wanted to leave the…

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Pray (AND Prepare) For Your Blessings

I worked with the same veteran for about a week on the psychiatric unit. When he first entered the floor, he was determined to make a change in his life. He no longer wanted to be a prisoner to his addiction to alcohol. He told me that “it was time” to make a change in his life. However, as the days passed while he waited for placement at an inpatient drug rehabilitation facility, his determination was marred by anxiety. The veteran noted that he was looking forward to treatment, but he was also a bit nervous about the experience. He…

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