‘Proud and excited’

Seven future physicians from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine recently received recognition for outstanding performance in clerkships during their third-year of medical school.

Awards for Outstanding Performance in M3 Clerkship were given to now fourth-year students Moneb Bughrara (Internal Medicine); Brent Yelton (Neurology); Benjamin Galen (OB/GYN); Katie Wheeler (Pediatrics); Abiba Salahou (Psychiatry); Amelia Najor (Surgery); and Corey Carney (Family Medicine).

Recipients are chosen by the directors of each of the required clerkships.

The OUWB Committee on Student Awards oversees the process, according to Committee Chair Sarah Lerchenfeldt, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies.

M3 clerkship award recipients are recognized at the OUWB Honors Convocation, traditionally held the evening before commencement. The recognition also is included in their Medical School Performance Evaluation.

“I was originally surprised to be selected from amongst many of my great peers,” said Bughrara. “Being recognized for my performance and effort during the rotation was a huge honor for me, especially since I intend to pursue a residency in internal medicine.

Wheeler said she was “honored and excited” to receive the recognition.

“I wasn’t aware that OUWB bestows these awards, so I was shocked,” she said. “It definitely made my day and confirmed that pediatrics is a wonderful career field for me.”

Galen said he also was “shocked” and also “proud and excited.”

“I'm applying into OB/GYN… and it was such an honor to have received it,” said Galen. “Knowing that the team recognized my efforts as extraordinary is fantastic enough; the fact it was in the specialty I plan on dedicating my life to was just icing on the cake.”

Najor said she felt a sense of “excitement and honor.”

“I truly gave my best effort to be part of a team and it felt amazing to have that recognized by my attendings and residents,” she said. “It reinforced the idea that if one remained passionate for and dedicated to their work, they would be set up for success in whatever they are pursuing.”

Salahou echoed similar feelings.

“It's really an honor and means a lot to me to be recognized in a field that fulfills my ‘why’ in medicine and genuinely makes me excited to continue learning,” she said.

Biggest takeaways

Students also said they took away more than awards from their respective clerkships.

“My biggest takeaway from the clerkship was finding my future career within medicine,” said Bughrara. “Prior to the clerkship, I was uncertain of what field I wanted to pursue. I found that during the clerkship I was able to find an intersection of many of my interests and passions, and found what I ultimately perceived as my calling within medicine.”

Wheeler recalled once being told by a mentor that “you'll know the right specialty for you when you wouldn’t mind waking up at 2 AM to answer a phone call about it.”

“That is exactly how I felt during and after my pediatrics rotation,” she said. “I enjoyed every day of my clerkship…from managing inpatient medications to seeing children for well-visits in the outpatient office, I was engrossed with learning about the diagnoses, treatments, and counseling for ailments specific to children.”

For Galen, it, too, was all about confirmation that he’s heading in the right direction.

“OB/GYN is one of the most sensitive health topics to discuss with patients, and I found that I loved having these conversations,” he said. “I reflected on my own upbringing, the powerful women in my life, and how impactful a relationship with a physician can be. Above all else, I learned that there is amazing power in recognizing vulnerability with your patients and welcoming these topics with open arms.”

Yelton also said he learned a lot.

“My biggest take away from the neurology clerkship was how impactful the field is on patients' lives,” he said. “Whether through diagnosing acute medical issues or maximizing the quality of life with those who live with chronic conditions, I was able to see the positive effect that neurology had during each day of this clerkship.”

Salahou said she also gained a tremendous amount of insight.

“My biggest takeaway from the psychiatry clerkship is that it is impossible to effectively treat patients without considering the biopsychosocial aspects of their care,” she said.

“I saw manifestations of mental health in every single one of my subsequent rotations. It's not something that can be escaped and we see this in real time every day in society. You can't effectively ensure patient compliance or successful recovery without incorporating aspects of psychiatry.”

Najor said the surgery clerkship helped her realize that its possible to “have fun, learn, and make a difference in the care your patients receive,” no matter what field medical students plan to specialize in.

“Integrate yourself as part of the team and make your patients feel comfortable with their care, after that, the process flows naturally; you begin to learn through your daily interactions with the patients, surgeons, and residents,” advised Najor.