Bridget Oei, 27, from Hebron, Connecticut graduates from UConn School of Medicine on May 8. She is proud to be from Connecticut and to have trained at UConn’s medical school. She is headed to the University of Vermont Medical Center for residency training in anesthesiology to be her future patients’ fiercest advocate. She will be joined by fiancé Michael DiCosmo, 26, from New Canaan as he matched into orthopedic surgery residency training also at the University of Vermont.

Q. Why did you choose UConn and what drew you to medical school?
A. After completing my undergraduate degree at UConn, I was confident I would get not only a quality education but also be a part of a great community. I am really proud to be from Connecticut and to have trained here for medical school. After clinical experiences during undergrad, I knew that medicine provided me with the opportunity for life-long learning and discovery paired with commitment to helping patients along their health journeys. I was captivated by the dynamic aspects of the field.

 Q. Did you have a favorite professor, class, or part of the curriculum?
A. My favorite part of medical school was my third- and fourth-year clinical rotations. I was able to put my medical knowledge to use and interact with patients, learning from them and getting hands on experience to direct patient care. Going into clinical learning each day was invigorating, because you never knew what learning opportunities might come your way and I consistently surprised myself with how much I could learn.

 Q. What activities were you involved in as a student?
A. I loved getting involved with my new peers and the next generation of physicians. I helped organize the prospective students second look weekend, was a part of orientation, interviews and even became a part of the SOM admissions committee. I worked with the Perry initiative, an organization focused on inspiring the next generation of women doctors, I also taught health courses to elementary and middle school students in Hartford. I offered my insight and advice to fellow medical students and prospective medical students through peer support counseling, interview and medical school application prep, and also exercised my passion for anatomy as a teaching assistant to first and second years in their anatomy course.

Q. What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?
A. I never stop being impressed by the dedication the faculty at UConn have towards student learning. Faculty are not only approachable but are enthusiastic and consistently committed to creating learning opportunities for students. Whether it be in class, lab, clinic or hospital floors, UConn faculty have gone out of their way to prioritize my growth and connect me with the vast resources that UConn has to offer to enable me to become a competent well-rounded physician.

Q. Any advice for incoming students or those wishing to apply to medical school?
A. If you’re not making mistakes you’re not growing. Failure is not only a crucial step in the learning process, but it teaches you how to hold fast to your goals and create a growth mindset. Embrace feedback from peers and teachers; no one is perfect, and it is those who can take criticism and transform it into growth and improvement who will become the most experienced and successful providers.

The best advice I received before entering medical school has remained my favorite. “Never forget who you are, where you come from, and why you want to be in healthcare.” I believe it is so important to know who you are and bring your background and experiences into your work. It is also important to remind yourself of your “why” and remain committed to that throughout your journey.

Q. What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?
A. I cannot choose between these three: Basketball game, dairy bar ice cream, sunset at Horsebarn hill! If you are at UConn SOM: Work on the virtual Anatomage tables, take a point of care ultrasound class with Dr. Herbst, challenge yourself with a SIM patient case at the simulation center, and try out your “doctoring skills” in clinical skills.

Q. What will always make you think of UConn?
A. I cannot think of my home state of Connecticut without thinking of my time as a student at UConn. I am so proud to be a Nutmegger, and I believe UConn embodies so much of the state itself. No matter where I go, when I think of Connecticut, I will think of UConn.

 Q. What medical specialty are you entering for residency training – and why?
A. I discovered my passion for the Anesthesiology specialty during my clinical rotations. I fell in love with applying the physiology and pharmacology that I learned in our MDelta curriculum in real time to patient care: guiding patients safely through a very important moment in their lives. Anesthesia will allow me to be my patients’ fiercest advocate during a case, and use my fund of knowledge to confidently handle any challenge I may face.

Q. Who inspired you most to enter medicine?
A. I have had countless role models who have inspired me along my journey to become a doctor. I am so grateful for each mentor of mine who has encouraged me to  pursue my goals and dreams. But I wanted to especially highlight the Connecticut community. The patients I have had the opportunity to meet, care for and learn from have been my greatest inspiration. They continue to motivate me to become the best provider I can be, they have taught me countless lessons, and it has been a true honor playing a small role in their health journey.

Q. What does UConn School of Medicine mean to you?
A. UConn holds a special place in my educational career. It has allowed me to learn from passionate faculty dedicated to teaching the next generation of doctors and given me opportunities to interact with the Connecticut patient community. My favorite part of my experience at UConn has been the strong sense of community and the enthusiasm of faculty and residents to teach and engage students in learning and patient care.

Q. How has attending UConn medical school prepared you to be a physician?
A. In Anesthesia and healthcare in general, adaptability is a quality that I believe is crucial to a provider to optimize patient care. UConn SOM demonstrated adaptability and taught me the importance of it throughout my medical school training. During the pandemic, faculty and administration wasted no time in finding creative ways to provide myself and my classmates a quality education and complete medical school training. They never wavered in their dedication towards our learning despite the uncertainties of the pandemic. As a result, I am prepared to be a quality provider: gritty, adaptable, and focused.

Q. What’s it like to be part of UConn, the largest producer of physicians for Connecticut, and the significant impact its public service has on the state’s health, workforce and its people?
A. The Connecticut patient population is one I hold in the highest esteem, and its interprofessional team of providers is a community I could not be more proud to be a part of. Each clinical rotation exposed me to the well-rounded and passionate workforce of providers who were united in placing patient care at the center of their work. I strive to always be a part of something greater than myself, and UConn allowed me that experience. It has been an honor to learn from this community and play a role in its future.

Q. What’s it going to be like to finally walk across the stage and get your M.D. this May?
A. I am so proud to be graduating with my M.D. from UConn and I am grateful to be a part of UConn’s great legacy! At the same time, I know I will also be filled with a great sense of responsibility: to utilize my new role with dignity and honor the job I have, to keep patient care at the center of my career.

UConn Health’s Commencement is May 8 at 1:00 p.m. Watch the livestream.