I’m excited to again step back from sharing my views and experiences in this blog and let somebody else do the talking. This is my second entry in a series of interviews that I’m conducting with others pursuing health careers. I think that we (as ambitious Future Health Professionals) often get so entrenched in our chosen programs of study that we fail to understand the journeys of others. I hope that this series will allow you to discover not only new health professions (and the various paths that lead to them) but also the motivations of those students who pursue those careers.

The original intent of this blog was for me to share my experiences as I made my way through the medical school application process and then through medical school itself. While I’m certainly glad that the application process is over, I hope that my thoughts have helped those of you applying to or considering applying to professional health programs. With that said, it’s now time to shift toward that second subject - in August I donned a white coat and began my time as a medical student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City.

David Kelly, 2012-2013 President, HOSA-Future Health Professionals

Medical Student, College of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma

David Kelly, 2012-2013 President, HOSA-Future Health Professionals

Medical Student, College of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma

You no doubt have a reason for joining HOSA and entering the world of health. We all do. For many, an experience from the past makes such an impression on them that they decide to commit their lives to healthcare. Others (including yours truly) initially discover health careers based on their academic skills & interests. As students become interested in these careers and begin to lay the groundwork for their health education, they learn more about what it means to be a health professional.

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Oklahoma HOSA State Leadership Conference. It was the first time I’ve been able to attend my home state’s SLC since 2013, so it was wonderful to reconnect with past state officers and see HOSA competition at the state level.

Up until now, this blog has mostly focused on my journey to becoming a physician. I know, however, that the world of health (and thus the interests of HOSA members) reaches far beyond patient care. To that end, I’m excited to begin branching out and interviewing extraordinary people who are impacting health and medicine through work in many different fields. I couldn’t think of a better person with which to begin this series.

Of all the topics about which I’ve written so far, none has been as dreaded as this. Students in middle and high school receive countless opinions on how they should decide what they want to do “when they grow up.” The stress of choosing a career path is substantial and many times overwhelming. I, too, have an opinion, and so I will share it with you today.

As promised earlier, here is my guide to soliciting letters of recommendation or evaluation. One of the most stressful parts of applying to a health career program is the requirement to obtain letters from professors, mentors, and supervisors. Programs may have basic requirements (for example, at least two letters) or very specific demands (two letters from professors of science, one letter from a medical doctor, and one letter from a volunteering supervisor). Often, the stress results from inadequate preparation and waiting too late to ask potential writers.

As a Future Health Professional, you’re no doubt aware of the importance of networking. Health careers can often seem like a small community; in even a large city you’ll find that you run into the same people over and over again. So getting to know key people and maintaining strong relationships with those who are in a position to help you can be incredibly rewarding. As a student, though, you may think that networking is the domain of current health professionals alone. This couldn’t be further from the truth.