GEP Blog

Week 5 Blogs – Medicine and You

Brooke McKalip

One of my favorite parts of the program so far has been the opportunity to meet with various medical professionals. Being highly successful in the medical field has been something that I think many feel is unattainable. However, I found that every guest physician had stories that were relatable in the way that they discussed their challenges, obstacles, and how they overcame them to achieve success. I also have taken a lot away from listening to all the medical students at Georgetown talk about their experiences at school and the pathway they took to get there. A story that particularly stood out in my mind was that of Mia Jenkins, who talked to us about how she decided to pursue medical school later on in her life than most folks. She also talked about her various obstacles in getting to med school in the first place, such as not being. Witnessing how successful, happy, and passionate about medicine that she is now, I found her story of taking the unbeaten path to med school extremely inspiring. Among all of the speakers that I have had the privilege of meeting, there is a broad consensus that there is a lot of struggle involved with becoming a medical professional, however, the end game helping people and changing lives is far is a reward that outweighs the struggle.

William Harris

The field of medicine is important to me because of where I come from. Where I’m from there’s a lot of people in poor health and poverty, struggling day to day to survive. Seeing this at a young age has motivated me to want to rise above that but still be connected to their roots and I believe the medical field can allow me to do just that. My goal is to come back and help those in need in my community and inspire the youth in my community to do positive things. If I can do that continuously for as long as I’m living I’d be satisfied. GEP can help me achieve my goals by sharpening my knowledge of the medical field and helping me network with prominent health professionals to increase my chance of succeeding in the medical field.

Aniyah Porter

The field of medicine is important to me because my aspiration is to be a registered nurse , and to influence more people of color to want to join the medical field. In the future, I see myself creating connections between vulnerable populations and healthcare systems. GEP will help me achieve my goal because even though it’s virtual , I still get to meet with multiple physicians and learn what it’s like to work in the medical field , as well as the steps that it takes to get there.

Erin Ferguson

With my experiences in the program, we have had a lot of academic spaces where we did radiology exercises with physicians, building connections with the different physicians as they speak with us about their health careers while also giving us advice as future physicians in the medical field. Within the program we have had a session with the ARCHES fellows who talked with us about their college experience, giving tips and also advice that can be helpful as we prepare for college applications etc. We have also had Dean connection sessions where we learned about unconscious bias, gained more insight to what their jobs are like and the impact they have on their students. Lastly, we’ve had awesome research experiences with both our med school mentors and research partners as we build to create our presentations on Health Disparities. My experience in the program has helped me gain confidence as the time comes to start applying to colleges as I have spoken with the ARCHES fellows. Speaking with the different physicians and asking them questions has helped me gain more insight into what the medical field is and things to expect. The activities with the radiologist and the anatomy lab have helped me with my scientific knowledge, both experiences have taught me new body language, clearer insight to how the body works. To close, my overall experience with GEP has been knowledgeable, inspirational and amazing.

Julieta Lira

The field of medicine is important to me because it is a way to help people with their medical health issues and it is a way to help people that don’t have the resources to Medicaid. I see myself playing in the medical community as the psychologist helping the ones who go through traumatic experiences. I think GEP has been helping me achieve my goal because they have been giving insights into the medical. Also, with GEP I met a scholar that is studying psychology.

Damiyah Brown

The field of medicine holds significance to me because as an African American, I realize that there are not equal opportunities for people of color and there is not equal access to healthcare for people of color as there is for white people. I see myself as a forensic pathologist being able to give answers to people who have lost their loved ones even if the answers are hard to find. And I also will be a vocal advocate on health disparities in society. I think GEP’s will help me achieve my goal because they have definitely opened my eyes to even more health disparities than I previously knew of and they help give me connections and advice for my future.Makaio Williams
The field of medicine is important to me because medicine is the art of helping others by improving their health. Without the field of medicine, there would not be an organized way of improving health. In the future, I see myself contributing to the medical community as much as any other physician. The GEP program will help me achieve my goal by educating me on what it takes to be successful in the medical field. Also, the program will give me experience in the medical field.

Tolu Adeoye

The field of medicine is very important to me because in my experience back home in my country Nigeria, the hospitals, doctors and resources are not up to par. Without those necessary tools, the patients end up dying too soon and I believe if they were able to receive the treatments they needed in the US, they would have hopefully still been alive. Some roles that I see myself playing in the medical field are wanting to make a difference in people’s wellness and the desire to help certain populations, such as the indigent. By achieving my goals I believe GEP will continue to encourage me and my passion to someday have a career in the medical field. Also they will be able to educate me on the responsibilities on what it takes to be in the medical field.

Ja’Mya Vaughan

The field of medicine is important to me because without medicine there would be alot of people who are sick. People need to go to medical school so they can help people maintain being healthy/safe in their community. Also, medicine is important so you can help save lives and find cures for diseases, and bring awareness to people. The role that I see myself playing in the medical community would be to help take care of children who are sick and injured. As a result, I want to be a pediatric nurse and share as much information to the family, especially on health disparities. GEP can help me achieve this goal by giving more information and knowledge on the career and we talked to people who work in the pediatric field.

Tahnija Person

The field of medicine is important to me because I have a drive for helping people when in need. My uncle’s disability inspires me to pursue a career in medicine because I want to help change the world, to leave a legacy behind me for when I pass and leave it down to my children. The role I see myself playing in the medical community is an orthopedic surgeon. I love to break and put things together, for example, a puzzle you put all the pieces together even though it is a challenge. GEP will help me achieve my goals by opening my options to different specialties and helping me with my networking skills. I am very appreciative of this opportunity.

Week 4 – Should schools reopen?

Brooke McKalip

Although we are still nearly a month and half from the start of the new school year, the school scaries are already starting to set in. School scaries, a term I have coined to represent the stress and worry about starting a new grade, usually starts creeping into the back of my mind around this time every year as I start thinking about my numerous summer assignments and who’s first period class I will be in. My school scaries this year look a little bit different.

As DCPS gears up for hybrid distance and in person learning for the 20-21 school year, I can’t help but be a little concerned about how that will work out. I personally have really enjoyed distance learning and interning as I feel like I can focus a lot better and can spend more time working on projects. This saying, I know this is not the case for everyone and respect that learning is best supported in a learning environment. I feel that Mayor Bowser’s proposition is a good compromise to utilize both in person and distance learning and to give families the option to pick if they want to send their kids to school or not. There are many benefits for students returning to in person learning, such as more hands on teaching, a calm learning environment, and less burden on working parents to provide childcare. This saying, I am concerned that the transmission of COVID-19 will be inevitable in schools despite the implementation of safety protocols. With several people coming in and out of the building everyday, schools become an open environment and are subject to exposure. Grade school kids, being a largely unaffected age group of COVID, could be asymptomatic and not know that they are even bringing it into the building.

In addition to the possibility of transmitting to other classmates, students have the potential to then bring the virus back home to their families. I miss being at school, seeing my friends, and living my pre- COVID life, but now more than ever I feel that it is important to show discipline in stamping out COVID when we have the opportunity to do so. Contrary to what the presidential administration has mandated on the return to in person learning for all schools, I feel that we must make well informed decisions based upon the ultimate well-being of everyone, not just a push to regain normalcy.

Macayla Hymes

My thoughts on school reopening is that I think that schools shouldn’t be reopened because any kid is still able to contract this virus. There are many reasons as to why school shouldn’t open back up, because some people don’t wash their hands or use hand sanitizer or cover their coughs or sneezes. How can students and even teachers be ready for school in the fall when everyone has been around different people and in different places. No one knows who actually has it.

School administrators should consider the health of the students and safety far as any student passing along any kind of germs or a student or teacher could possibly have COVID-19. They need to consider long term effects, as students we still have to interact within the classrooms and labs even the bathrooms. Have they even thought about how lunch is going to play out etc. And also school getting shut down because of so many kids getting sick, or they’ve found out that someone has the virus.

The first model that needs to be considered is distance learning, this is the best option and still is an option because COVID still exists and more cases are developing. I don’t think that there’s another alternative method to take. I am fully aware of people going to the hospital but end up with the coronavirus because it was given to them by the hospital. Also that kids have to get tested or vaccinated in order to get back into school.

Personally I hate being around to many people as is and I hate getting sick, germs, and touching things that everyone else has touched. I have a concern for my health as well as other students getting sick and more cases being discovered from school being opened.I just don’t want anyone sick or the virus to hit too close to home meaning friends or school.

Aniyah Porter

Although I do miss school a little bit, I have mixed emotions about school reopening this year. I’m glad because online school was very stressful (especially for math class); however, I feel like all students are not going to follow safety precautions and parents are still going to send their kids to school knowing that they’re sick. School administrators should consider making sure everyone has a mask and hand sanitizer or they won’t be able to enter the school. I also feel like everyone should get tested. Distance learning definitely needs to be prioritized because everyone should not be close together. I have a lot of concerns about schools reopening. My main concern is that I heard you have to do a temperature check to get through the door, but everyone doesn’t experience the symptoms right away.

Erin Ferguson

As we all know we are currently under a pandemic and it has caused most stores/businesses to close,but as things started to open back up school has been on the list to re-open .In my honest opinion I don’t think opening schools for the 2020-2021 school year is the best thing to do right now, even though students are probably wanting to go back to because they prefer learning in person than at home from a computer and I feel the same way but if DCPS decides to open up the doors for students there’s a possible chance they are bringing any germs with them to pass to other students.

Before making their decision I think school administrators and leadership should consider things like where have students been during their summer? The students who don’t show up having any kind of symptoms then, are they a carrier? And I also think they should consider social distancing, we are teenagers who like to hang around friends, sit at lunch tables in groups/sit in the gym in groups, there are probably some students who have not seen one another all summer so they are all in eachothers faces hugging etc .I think hybrid needs to be prioritized than distance learning or all in-person, this way its blended students get to learn from time-to-time in person with teachers and still be able to do activities/work at home.

To close this off I do have a few questions about schools reopening. What if the decision is made and students will return to school for the school year, what about the parents who don’t approve of sending their child to school because they don’t want them affected in no way?.I ask this because there are some parents who are saying they aren’t sending their child to school so would this force them to close schools back down.My last question is, if schools reopen for the school year how would the classrooms look? I ask this question because there are way too many students in a room. Sometimes the teachers run out of desks and chairs because the number of students was unexpected but we are supposed to be practicing social distancing because the coronavirus isn’t quite over and reopening schools might just increase those numbers .

C’amirah Wise

My thoughts on schools opening up are skeptical mainly because I know kids from elementary school to high school will underestimate the risk and severity of going back into public places with a lot of people. I think that the first and last grades of the school should be allowed back into the building and the rest of the grades should be hybrid or online only. To further clarify what I mean by the first and last grades I’m referring to the entering grade for coming into the school and the class that would be graduating from the school (freshman, seniors, 1st graders, 5th graders, 6th graders, and 8th graders).

Some factors that I think school administrators need to take into account would be students’ ability to follow directions and how well they respond to punishment. If students get in trouble and do not care then the school should not allow them back into the building because that runs the risk of them not wearing a mask and potentially putting others at risk. In-person learning should be prioritized because attending school serves a different purpose for some, it could be an escape from a bad home environment or be the only chance they have to eat. I have a concern that people won’t want to social distance alongside me and I’m not the type to play around with that kind of thing at all and I don’t think everyone will understand that.

Princess Courtney

I feel schools reopening for the 2020-2021 school year should absolutely be put on hold. Distance learning for a new school year is uncomfortable because people want to get comfortable with their teachers and be in a learning environment because that’s what keeps us focused. When opening schools back up they need to look at how many students will be in a classroom, new seating arrangements and new safety rules.

Wearing face masks for students and teachers should be a priority like it is when you go in public spaces. Desks being separated should be a priority to enforce the 6 feet apart rule and pens/pencils should not be supplied to minimize cross contamination. I am concerned about the numbers skyrocketing when school begins because that is a lot of people in one building and rules will not always be followed and you never know because you being clean doesn’t matter when you don’t know what everyone else has been doing.

Makaio Williams

Concerning schools reopening next year, I have no idea what my senior year will be like. I am guessing that schools won’t reopen in August. It is a bittersweet feeling thinking about it because I want to see my friends and I am good at doing work remotely and it is less stressful than being at school. The most important factor that school administrators should think about is safety. If they are reconsidering reopening anytime soon, then they have to make sure that no one is at risk. Personally, I think that distance learning should be prioritized because no one really knows when everything will be back to normal. As a student, I am concerned on how schools will operate when coming back because we will have new teachers to meet and also, I do not my senior year to be affected by covid-19.

Ja’Mya Vaughan

My thoughts on school opening for the 2020-2021 school year is that I think they should keep it virtual because every week there’s a new case and I don’t think that’s safe to have kids in school for eight hours wearing a mask. The reason I said they should keep it virtual is because I get distracted easily in school and when it was virtual I actually have gotten more work, and very concentrated. Some factors school administrations should take would be some kids or their family members have weak immune systems/ diseases and they expect for them to go back to school and if a child feels sick they should stay home so there would be alot of kids absent from school. I think it should be distance learning and hybrid but they should give you an option to have all distance learning.

Tolu Adeoye

My thoughts on school reopening during the year 2020-2021 school year in my opinion very much needed. I believe that in reopening the school year children get to interact better with the teachers, their classmates, and friends. Some factors they should consider are kids who are visual learners, and they might have some difficulty in learning how to comprehend the subject and or information that’s given to them. I believe the model hybrid should be more prioritized because it will be better to have some classes online and some in-person, so the majority of people won’t be at risk in attaching the virus. But on the other hand, some of my concerns that I might have been worrying about people other than myself who might not be aware that they have the virus, which could spread to the entire school and we could all possibly be at risk.

Tahnija Person

My thoughts about schools opening in the 2020-2021 school year is they should not be open and it should continue to be virtual. This will prevent corona cases from increasing in the community. Until we have a vaccine in my opinion nothing should be open. I heard cases of people dying from masked hyperventilation from breathing in the same air within the mask, so for us students to sit in a classroom for 80 minutes with a mask is unbearable. Knowing from my perspective people are very uncomfortable from wearing a mask every day all-day to stay safe. I understand that children need our education but our health comes first. I rather learn from home and be healthier than going to school and worrying about my health. If we do need to go to school we should have fewer school hours so everybody can have a chance to go to school and prevent less hyperventilation from wearing masks.

William Harris II

When making decisions school administrators and leaders should consider what’s in the best interest of the people’s health the most. As of right now I believe that distance learning is the best model to prioritize because there’s still a significant amount of COVID cases around. My only concerns about reopening schools is the risk that someone there can have COVID and pass it along to a friend or even me.

Week 3

Tolu Adeoye

My first thought was that I wouldn’t learn as much doing the program remotely and it wouldn’t be as much fun. But I was wrong, It was everything I expected and more. I was nervous about doing the program remotely because I felt as though that it wasn’t going to be as informed as it would have been in person. But the interactions with ARCHES, mentors, and peers was very pleasant, helpful, and overall what I expected. I am excited to meet new people, gain more knowledge in the Medical field and get exposed in different aspects of specialties that would be beneficial in my future career choices. A moment I remember, which I thought was very much needed and helpful for our upcoming future was when the GEP scholars had help in writing our elevator pitches and presenting them to our mentors, coaches, and peers.

Aniyah Porter

When I first heard about the program I was excited to be a part of it since I’d still be able to get work experience and do virtual job shadows . I was also nervous about the virtual aspect of the program since I knew I was going to have to talk to new people and look at people through a screen versus being in person . My research partner and I met with our mentor a few days ago to discuss our research topic about incarcerated people and the fact that they’re not getting the same treatments as people on the outside , as well as the information that we gathered . I’m excited about meeting more physicians and I look forward to hearing about their background and learning what a typical day looks like in their particular profession.

Williams Harris

My first thoughts about the Gateway Explorers Program weren’t very good because of the fact it was going to be virtual but I warmed up to the idea because of my experience at Georgetown the previous summer. When I learned it would be completed remotely I was really nervous, I didn’t know what to expect, I actually thought it would take away from most of the experience of the program. My interactions with my mentors and peers have been nothing but positivity and positive vibes. We cheer each other on and don’t judge each other when we make mistakes so it’s a very healthy environment in my opinion. I am looking forward to completing my research project and sharing it with my peers and also listening to them share their projects and really supporting them because to me that’s the best part of the program. One of my favorite early moments I remember is when we were sharing our elevator pitches and everyone was cheering everyone on. It was a moment that stuck with me and the praises we were giving out really gave me confidence with public speaking.

Princess Courtney

When being told I was going to be participating in the Gateway Exploration Program I was super excited because not many people get the chance to say they have experienced working with Georgetown School of Medicine as a high schooler . Finding out that the program would be virtual this summer was a little bit of a disappointment because I knew I wouldn’t be able to don’t get the in-person experience of being in a hospital and it made me a little nervous for what we were going to do instead. Working with my research group on our project has been fun and receiving constructive feedback has been very useful for our project which addresses the health disparity of infant mortality rates of African Americans compared to other populations. I am excited about presenting our project at the end of this summer and meeting more doctors and engaging in virtual field trips.

Tahnija Person

My first thoughts of the Gateway Exploration Program was this is something I want to do. I applied to many internships but really wanted to get in this one. I wanted to get the doctor to patient interaction and plus the researching was just a plus. I love working as a team and the GEP program just seems like the right fit for me. I was nervous about doing the program remotely because I was afraid of all these complications like technology issues, wifi issues, and communicating on zoom all day was weird to me. But I was more so nervous about performing a good impression because that’s the first thing people remember. My interactions with my mentors, ARCHES fellows, and peers were great. Each individual I met had taught me something every time. It was really great to explore and meet new people even if it was remotely. I was excited about getting a mentor and following them around the hospital to get the patient doctor interaction. I’m looking forward to seeing me and my partner, Macayla, on how our research presentation is going to look. I remember all the doctors who came to join our zooms calls and chatted with us. We got to ask them questions and they helped me understand certain things I didn’t know, which I appreciate them for.

Ja’Mya Vaughan

My first thoughts on this program I thought we were going to be doing hands-on medical skills, I thought it was going to be really hard because it’s about medicine,my friend did this program two years ago and she told me that it’s not bad. Yes, I was nervous about doing the program remotely because I was confused on how we would even be able to do an internship virtually. My interactions with my mentors, ARCHES fellows, and peers have been great. My mentors told me and my partner that if we need any help with the health disparity project to let them know. With the mentors, they told us their experience with Georgetown and they also told us to reach out if we have any questions about medical school. I’m most excited to learn about different health careers and more health disparities in D.C. I’m looking forward to gaining more knowledge about medicine, and learning social skills.

C’amirah Wise

My first thoughts about the program were all positive. I thought that the guest speakers would be very influential and have information about medical procedures that I did not know about. I was very nervous about working remotely because my house is loud 24/7 and concentrating is not something that happens often for me while I’m at home. So far, the interactions with my mentors, arches fellows, and peers have been really good and I’ve learned new things from each time I’ve interacted with them. My mentor gave me some tips for navigating my first year of college, my mentors gave me some good and credible sources that I can use outside the program and working with my partner has taught me how to better articulate myself in my writing. I’m looking most forward to everyone’s presentations.

Julieta Lira

My first thoughts when we first started the GEPs program were I don’t want to do this anymore there are too many people. I was super nervous because I’m shy and I didn’t want to be judged by my peers. My interactions with my mentors, Arches, and peers was great when we actually got into the work and I soon I felt there was no reason to be nervous. I’m most excited to present my presentation because I feel that the topic. The mortality rates in African Americans before and during COVID-19 isn’t talked about as much. One of my favorite memories is how Coach Yessica makes our group meetings fun by playing music and leading ice breakers to create community. One of the big lessons I’ve learned is that when I go to college it is okay to change majors if I discover new areas of interest

Damiyah Brown

My first thoughts about the GEP Program were that I would have to put in a lot of hard work and I would learn a lot. At first I was kind of disappointed that I would have to do the internship virtually because I worked hard to get it and I was looking forward to shadow a real health professional for the Summer but I think Georgetown is doing a great job with trying to keep the program the same as it would be if it were done in person. All of my interactions with everyone I’ve met so far like, mentors, ARCHES Fellows, other GEP Scholars and physicians have been pleasant. I’m excited about what my final project will come out to be like and I look forward to the college workshops I will attend that will help prepare me for what college admissions will be like and how to plan ahead for college. My favorite experiences so far have been the weekly huddles we do where we discuss articles talking about health disparities and I like being able to speak on how I feel about certain topics relevant to DC and other places around the country and around the world.

Macayla Hymes

My first thoughts about the internship were positive but I did have my days where I thought that what if I don’t get it and someone’s interview went better than mine. Initially i was nervous about not getting picked because i couldn’t answer a question during the interview, but I knew I had a chance because of the feedback and comments I got after I was done. To do the program I wasn’t nervous. I knew that I was going to do and be fine with everyone and everything , I was just excited and looking forward to meeting with my mentors and people I was going to work with. I was just excited to work in a hospital setting. I’m excited about the outcomes of the presentations and the infographics , I’m looking forward to more feedback in the long run from mentors and doctors , and I’m also looking forward to this experience to take me places like lead me in the right path to further my knowledge and experience in nursing and health care.

Damarie Johnson

My first thoughts when beginning the Georgetown Gateway Exploration Program was “ These people seem nice and they may not be boring.” I also wondered what our daily task would be. Knowing the program would be done remotely prior to receiving that information. I wasn’t nervous…

The ARCHES Fellows and Medical School Mentors are genuine; they give a valid understanding of Medical School and College Life, & My Peers are an outstanding group of people who continuously demonstrate their knowledge and ability to ask questions. In the near future I’m looking forward to not only having the chance to visit Georgetown in person but also plan to continue acknowledging and addressing ways to eliminate health disparities. Since Day 1, The GEP Team has not only been helpful but committed to the experience they said we’ll be given.

Brooke McKalip

During the first few days of GEP, I was very impressed by the energy of the staff and their excitement to lead this program. After they explained some of the projects we would be working on, such as the health disparity presentation and the infographic, I became super inspired to make the most of this opportunity at GEP. I have really enjoyed being able to get to know physicians, my Georgetown mentors and fellow GEP scholars and coaches. I have already learned so much- not only about medicine- but the importance of diversity and inclusion. I am looking forward to taking what I have learned about health disparities and inclusion in medicine to my family and friends to continue the conversation outside of this program.

Erin Ferguson

Hello, my name is Erin Ferguson I am a rising senior at Eastern Senior Highschool most importantly I am a part of the Georgetown Gateway Exploration Program. Initially during the summer my internship was supposed to be with MedStar but there was bit of a change because of the coronavirus pandemic that we are currently facing. When I first found out that I was accepted into the Gateway Exploration Program I was kind of surprised but also excited because I thought my chance to experience the idea of medicine and learn about the different career paths was ruined due to the pandemic. When I found out that the program would be virtual, I was a bit nervous, more nervous as if we were doing the program in person. But we are currently in week 3 of the program as it is moving so fast, and I would say meeting my Med-school mentor has been pretty interesting but also helpful. They have been such a great resource as my research partner and I work to finish our research presentation together. As we move forward into finishing the program I am looking forward to meeting more physicians and engaging in conversation with students who are currently in college working through med-school and getting to the career that they have chosen. I would say I am most excited into seeing the finishing project for our health disparities and the finishing project of our infographic that we will also create as a group. Even Though, we are still mid-way in the program I would like to say my experience so far has been amazing not just with the students,the physicians and guest speakers we meet but to all the coaches and mentors and even the director who has welcomed every single one of us with loving energy and positive attitudes from the first day up until I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else and just blessed that I’ve had the opportunity to be apart of this program.

Makaio Williams

My first thoughts were that GEPS would be fun and I would learn useful information. When we did the first zoom call, it went better than expected. Even though it got awkward at times, it went well and it has taught me a lot about learning virtually. I was nervous about doing the GEP program remotely because I did not know how it would work out. All of the mentors, ARCHES fellows, and my peers are friendly, The mentors are always there for help and clarification. My peers are all eager to learn and jump at the chance to ask meaningful questions. All of the health professionals that have gotten on the call to talk to us enjoy answering our questions. I am looking forward to completing my research project with my partner and sharing our presentation about EMS response times in low-income vs. high-income areas.

Teeaira Meadows

My first thoughts on GEP staff were that they are nice people and see potential in all of us to do great. I was not nervous about doing GEPs remotely because they communicate well. I love interacting with everyone. My mentors are nice and very helpful when it comes to knowledge, my peers are very smart as well. Arches fellows are also helpful and nice. I am looking forward to creating my info graphic. One of my favorite aspects of the internship so far was making my elevator speech because I’m a shy person who is working on opening up. Learning to deliver my pitch in a professional way helped me express who I am both for myself and others.