Boston. Wow. The Longwood Area. Wow. Harvard Medical School. Wow. On August 1, 2015, this was my first impression of the National Student Leadership Conference. When my eyes caught a glimpse of the awe that is Harvard Medical School, I knew I was in for something special the next ten days.
The National Student Leadership Conference is a program for high school students to expose themselves to their field of interest. After taking my PSAT, I was nominated to apply for this program. As a biology enthusiast, the pre-medicine program intrigued me, especially since it was hosted at Harvard Medical School. When I was accepted into the ten day program, I was thrilled and couldn't wait to attend that summer.
I've already shared how my first day started, but the ending is even better. Prior to the program, we were sent a packing list which included a category known as "professional attire." As a two sport athlete who lives in running shorts and t-shirts, I was out of my comfort zone. That night, we were required to dress in professional attire and attend opening ceremonies at a conference hall near Brigham and Women's Hospital. The director and leaders came in dressed to the nines as well, and they explained the purpose for this program. The director started NSLC because he believed high school students should have a chance to dive into their desired career and discover if that's really what they wanted to do.
After his speech, a speaker came on stage. He was tall lanky man with a powerful voice. No one knew who he was or what he was doing talking in front of a hundred high school students dressed like forty year olds. This man would counsel us in our leadership skills. He reminded us that we were not only here to learn about medicine, but also to effectively develop skills in leading our peers.
Next, we met our groups of fifteen and our group leaders. Geographically, we were a diverse group. One was from Lebanon, another from Colombia, another from Canada, another from India, and another from the United Arab Emirates. However, our interests and goals were frighteningly similar. We all shared a passion in helping people, and that's why we were here. I've never made a stronger bond with a group of fifteen people in ten days.
I've already shared how my first day started, but the ending is even better. Prior to the program, we were sent a packing list which included a category known as "professional attire." As a two sport athlete who lives in running shorts and t-shirts, I was out of my comfort zone. That night, we were required to dress in professional attire and attend opening ceremonies at a conference hall near Brigham and Women's Hospital. The director and leaders came in dressed to the nines as well, and they explained the purpose for this program. The director started NSLC because he believed high school students should have a chance to dive into their desired career and discover if that's really what they wanted to do.
After his speech, a speaker came on stage. He was tall lanky man with a powerful voice. No one knew who he was or what he was doing talking in front of a hundred high school students dressed like forty year olds. This man would counsel us in our leadership skills. He reminded us that we were not only here to learn about medicine, but also to effectively develop skills in leading our peers.
Next, we met our groups of fifteen and our group leaders. Geographically, we were a diverse group. One was from Lebanon, another from Colombia, another from Canada, another from India, and another from the United Arab Emirates. However, our interests and goals were frighteningly similar. We all shared a passion in helping people, and that's why we were here. I've never made a stronger bond with a group of fifteen people in ten days.
Next came the clinical diagnostics. Our group of seven or so was assigned to a mock patient. Our task was to evaluate the patient, as well as provide proper bedside care to the patients. After twenty minutes, we were to give our diagnosis. I particularly enjoyed one case involving a three-year-old girl. Obviously, the patient was well older than me, but she played a great toddler. I enjoyed comforting the patient. Because she trusted me, I could find out more about how she was feeling. Not to mention, each case was a mystery for us to solve, using everything we had learned from our Biology courses and the lessons from NSLC.
I was in the Longwood area, surrounded by the sky-high columns of Harvard Medical School and the country's best hospitals. From this information, I deduced the following:
1) The only way to soak up all the beauty was to explore.
2) If I got hurt, I would be in the best care.
Every morning around 6:30, I went for a run around the campus. I was allowed to stay in a 6 block radius, so I did laps around the hospitals. Needless to say, I came to know a few of the sleep deprived physicians. At the end of my run, I would run the steps up to Gordon Hall of the Harvard Medical School campus ten times over. The morning of August 11th, I stood at the top of the stairs for the last time, staring out over the Longwood area, full of brilliant minds. I will never forget that picture.
1) The only way to soak up all the beauty was to explore.
2) If I got hurt, I would be in the best care.
Every morning around 6:30, I went for a run around the campus. I was allowed to stay in a 6 block radius, so I did laps around the hospitals. Needless to say, I came to know a few of the sleep deprived physicians. At the end of my run, I would run the steps up to Gordon Hall of the Harvard Medical School campus ten times over. The morning of August 11th, I stood at the top of the stairs for the last time, staring out over the Longwood area, full of brilliant minds. I will never forget that picture.
However, the most impactful aspect of the conference was the lectures. I met a renowned plastic surgeon, a pediatric emergency physician, a professional on Public Health, and a physician's assistant in neurosurgery all in one week. Not only was I educated on their fields, but I was inspired by their zeal. They loved their jobs; they loved medicine. I knew that was what I wanted: a love of helping people.
The final day of the program, our group gave a ten minute public health presentation. In our video and presentation, we strived to prevent the accidental discharge of firearms. Below is our presentation:
I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend NSLC. I was able to step out of my comfort zone in front of 100 students, and I found out that they were all like me. I left NSLC with a better understanding of the medical field. There's so much more than science. Physicians must be committed to their patients, and there will definitely be difficult moments down the road. Finally, I met amazing people. They all came from different backgrounds, but that didn't matter. We all cared so much about people, and it united us. I encourage everyone to participate in this program if they are given the opportunity to do so.