Footnotes Summer 2024 - 5

Specifically regarding challenges during their time in medical
school and how they overcame them, Llazar emphasized
how NYCPM is known for its rigorous academic schedule.
While she has to thank NYCPM for preparing their students,
there were times she had to study for two exams a week, right
after the APMSA House of Delegates or before going to LA
to present her research at the ACFAS national conference.
Finding the harmony between academic responsibilities and
her passion for leadership was a delicate dance, but a catalyst
for her growth.
For Trevell, being the SGA president was an incredible yet
demanding role as he had to communicate the needs of
every student to the administration department and ensure
the best needs of the class were conveyed. He learned
how to trust his board members to help him reach their
overarching goals. At the beginning of his journey, he
would see issues and try to go all in and do everything he
could which consequently put a lot on his plate. He realized
that trying to be the person with all the right answers and
fix everything may result in burnout.
Having come from a military family, Trevell drew a
parallel between the military bootcamp and his medical
school experience. Everyone knows Marines have difficult
bootcamps and no Marine says their training was easy,
but they are known as the best soldiers in the military.
Similarly, the school's mandatory attendance, exam
schedule, clinic, and laboratory can make the program
more challenging. However, when students go into the clinic
and start translating those skills, they can see how much
those challenges pay off. For instance, the endurance to be
in a hospital all day long is connected to having mandatory
attendance in school. When you are in the clinic you will
have exams, board exams, and huge cases but you must
show up and be actively present.
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For Ksenja, she spent the entire third year rotating through
the school clinic and four different hospitals. This allowed
her to learn how to interact with patients from different
backgrounds and be comfortable coming up with a
diagnosis under the guidance of professors. The number
of different pathologies you can see as a student in these
hospitals is enormous and an experience that helped her
succeed in externships.
Lastly, we asked if they had any advice for students. Trevell
emphasized how everyone is on their own journey and it is
important to not compare yourself to others academically.
He recommends students focus on setting attainable goals
and working towards them. He stated, " There is a huge
emphasis on grades, but people fail to realize that you are
here to become a doctor, not a professional test taker. Once
you are in the clinics and medical world, it comes down to
how you can translate that book knowledge into clinical
knowledge and diagnose and treat patients. "
Ksenja feels that time management is key to your success.
She has been very particular about her time management.
It is a gift that her very first basketball coach taught her.
She is an avid user of to-do lists and prioritizes activities by
importance. She said, " Once you manage your time wisely,
you can find time for your loved ones, you can excel in your
studies, but also have time to get involved, give back, and
change a thing or two about podiatry " .
It was a pleasure interviewing Ksenja and Trevell and we
wish them along with all graduates from the class of 2024
across the nation the best as they embark on a new journey in
residency.
SUMMER 2024
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Footnotes Summer 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Footnotes Summer 2024
