Class of 2023 fourth-year UConn medical student Paige Holden, 25, of Granby, Connecticut attended UConn as an undergrad too. She has been a Husky for 8 years but is now going to be a general surgery resident training in Boston at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center after her May 8 graduation from UConn School of Medicine.
Q. Why did you choose UConn and what drew you to medical school?
A. Honestly, I chose UConn because it was the best financial decision I could make. I knew I’d get a well-rounded education with plenty of practical experience at half the cost of other schools I had applied to.
Q. Did you have a favorite professor, class, or part of the curriculum?
A. Dr. Michael Baldwin is probably one of my favorite educators of all time. He teaches our 3rd year radiology curriculum where he regularly lectures in front of 110+ students per class. We’re always impressed by his ability to learn and memorize each of his students’ names, hometowns, and career goals. He clearly cares and often goes above and beyond to help us achieve our goals however he can.
Q. What activities were you involved in as a student?
A. I got to participate in a lot of different groups and activities as a student here! I spent three years on the board of the student-run South Park Inn Medical Clinic, I led both the Surgery Interest Group and the Orthopedic Interest Group, I captained a co-ed soccer team, I was heavily involved in admissions as both a student interviewer and a student member of the admissions committee, and I volunteered at many workshops designed to get female high school, college and medical students interested in careers in engineering and surgery. There was definitely no shortage of opportunities to get involved here at UConn.
Q. What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?
A. One thing that surprised me about UConn was how collaborative my classmates were. I think medical school gets a reputation of being very competitive, but I found that to be absolutely false here. We happily shared study guides, resources, and clinical tips and tricks. When we succeeded, we celebrated together and when we failed, we commiserated together. It was nice to know we had support and that none of us were alone in this process.
Q. Any advice for incoming medical students or those wishing to apply to medical school?
A. Nothing will ever prepare you for your first medical school exam. No matter how many times people tell you that you will be fine, you won’t believe it. But I promise, you’ll be fine. You have more time than you think you do. Use it to maintain a life outside of medicine doing the things you love with the people you love. Come in with an open mind. You may think you know exactly what you want to do, but there’s so much to learn and see and do. You never know, something might surprise you and change your whole trajectory.
To those dreaming of medical school or a career in healthcare, I’d say that if you truly have a passion to do this type of work, you should never let anyone or anything stop you from achieving your goals. Maybe you didn’t get your goal score on the MCAT or maybe you don’t get accepted to medical school on your first attempt; that does not mean you won’t someday be an amazing doctor. This field is challenging at every level, and it requires commitment and dedication, so don’t give up if you can’t imagine doing anything else!
Q. What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?
A. I am definitely biased given my involvement with the clinic, but I would say that every graduate of UConn SOM should try and volunteer either with South Park or the Migrant Farmworkers Clinic at least once during their time here. These experiences are truly unique in that they give you the opportunity to work with underserved populations you may otherwise never see. How I think about and interact with patients has definitely been heavily influenced by what I’ve learned from my time working with these groups.
Q. What will always make you think of UConn?
A. I’ve been a Husky for 8 years now. I’ve built so many memories first in Storrs and now here in Farmington that there are few things that don’t remind me of UConn in some capacity. I think the strongest ties will be the people. I’ve been fortunate enough to make friends across classes and I look forward to watching and supporting my friends in the classes behind me as they continue to achieve their goals.
Q. What medical specialty are you entering?
A. I’m going into general surgery! For me, general surgery is the perfect balance between getting to perform a broad variety of procedures and maintaining a solid practice of general medicine. I may be biased, but I’d argue that a good general surgeon is one of the most well-rounded doctors in a hospital; there are few emergencies that general surgeons are ill-equipped to handle.
Q. Who inspired you most to enter the field of surgery?
A. In my time here, Dr. Katherine Coyner has been an incredible mentor to me. She’s made it her mission to inspire girls and women of all ages to fearlessly pursue traditionally male-dominated fields, and I can honestly say there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be where I am today without her guidance and support.
Q. What does UConn School of Medicine mean to you?
A. I think what I’ve loved most about this place has been the overwhelming support from faculty and staff at every turn. The people who work here do so because they love teaching and love working with students. When I was struggling with a concept in class, I had no problem finding preceptors to help clarify things for me. When I had an idea for a new initiative at our student-run clinic, our faculty advisor backed me wholeheartedly and guided me through the steps to make it a reality. When I had a bad day, I walked to the student affairs office and was met with candy and a sea of smiling faces. I honestly think there’s nothing you can’t accomplish here, because as long as you ask, there will always be support for you.
Q. How has attending medical school at UConn prepared you to be a physician?
A. One thing I love most about the medical field is that it is constantly evolving as we discover new information, and it is always required to adapt to a changing environment. The pandemic is a recent example that forced us to change the way we learned and greatly influenced how we interacted in the clinical setting. Though it was frustrating at times, it was great practice for how to handle future inevitable shifts in how we conduct research and deliver healthcare.
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. I don’t think I fully realized the impact this school has on the landscape of healthcare in Connecticut until my 3rd year clinical rotations. It seemed like every other attending physician I met had trained at UConn in some capacity, and I admired their eagerness to stay and serve this community. I may not be completing my residency training in this state, but I’ve been a Husky for 8 years now and I imagine I will happily return here to my roots when my training is complete.
Q. What’s it going to be like to finally walk across the stage and get your M.D. this May?
A. Becoming a doctor has been a dream of mine since early high school. I remember how far away it felt back then, and it’s crazy to think that I will achieve that dream. Getting here has required a lot of dedication, determination and sacrifice from all of us, but I wouldn’t change a thing because I know it will all feel worth it when we walk across that stage in May.
UConn Health’s Commencement is May 8 at 1:00 p.m. Watch the livestream.
