Footnotes - Summer 2023 - 14

healing was truly enlightening. This experience solidified
[her] commitment to delivering compassionate, evidencebased
care and fueled [her] passion for making a positive
impact in the lives of those in need. " Sophia's advice for
current students was to embrace the inevitability of making
mistakes and take ownership of them. Recognizing the
missteps, taking responsibility for them, and actively learning
from them prevents recurrence and is an important mark
of an effective, well-rounded physician. Sophia was truly
honored to be among a list of great podiatric student
nominees and looks forward to adding them to the multitude
of great physicians she will learn from as a podiatric
physician.
Vishnupriya Bodempudi (SMU-CPM)
Vishnupriya began her work in
podiatric medicine while conducting
a research study in lower limb
transplantation at her undergraduate
university. A first-generation medical
student, Vishnuypriya has a " profound appreciation for
medical education " with a " keen interest in rearfoot and
ankle reconstructive surgery. " Vishnupriya is excited to see
how her career as a podiatric physician will " treat patients
of all ages, conservatively and surgically, to help them get
back on their feet and embrace life. " As a physician, she
plans to participate in medical missions and provide essential
medical care to rural communities. Vishnupriya's advice to
students is as follows: " Setbacks and obstacles can serve as
valuable opportunities for personal growth and development.
It's natural to feel discouraged at first, but instead of giving
up, take time to reflect on how to improve, seek advice from
mentors, and create a plan of action. While the results may
not be immediate, I have learned from personal experience
that with patience and perseverance, any challenge can be
overcome. "
Please note that the schools not featured had not yet selected their nominees
when the article was written and have been left out of this article solely
due to publication deadlines. A list of all the nominees and the recipient
of the 2023 Student of the Year award will be provided in a future
edition of Footnotes. APMSA would like to thank all the nominees for
taking the time to provide their stories and advice and wishes the best of
luck to all fourth years as they navigate their clerkships and the matching
process.
For more information on the 2023 Student of the Year nominees and the responses that were not included in this article, please
contact Mark Gabriel at markgabriel@temple.edu. Additional information on the APMSA Student of the Year Award can be found on
the APMSA website.
14
SUMMER 2023

Footnotes - Summer 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Footnotes - Summer 2023