M4s’ experience: Entering medical school during a worldwide pandemic
M4s’ experience: Entering medical school during a worldwide pandemic
By Marena Keci and Naomi Gitlin
The Stritch Class of 2024 has had a medical school experience like no other. Entering medical school in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, was not something any incoming physicians-in-training expected. Medical school is challenging enough; learning remotely in classes that are usually “hands-on,” combined with the inability to create in-person bonds and develop a support system with students, staff, and faculty, could have been daunting.
“At every stage of the pandemic, there were new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on whether or not we could come back to school, it was constantly ebbing and flowing, and we really had to be flexible,” said M4 and Alpha Omega Alpha inductee Charlotte Adema. M4s wanted to meet and interact with their classmates. Luckily, Loyola took the initiative to host many virtual events. “It was different, we were completely on Zoom, but there were still many opportunities to create bonds with classmates,” said Adema. She emphasized that building relationships with people who support you and who understand the commitment and dedication medical school requires is vital to succeeding.
Flexibility is one of the most important skills for physicians. With new rotations, patients, and schedules thrown at them at a moment’s notice, physicians must be alert and adaptable. This unique medical school experience has enhanced their preparation for residency.
Once back on campus in 2021, M4 Aaron Deng, vice president, class of 2024, revitalized traditions lost during the pandemic. He advocated for students who felt frustrated about coming back in person after the lockdown. He encouraged in-person activities such as M1 and M2 basketball and football games. The event that had the largest impact on the class was the class formal. “We created fun events that students wanted to attend,” said Deng. “We were all striving to gain human connection after the pandemic,” he said.
For M4 Sebastian Kolaj, the pandemic made medicine feel both precarious and necessary. It is imperative to educate oneself about social determinants of health and racial bias in the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Kolaj.” Starting medical school during the pandemic has made him “think about caregivers and social dynamics in a new light as the mental health effects of the pandemic, from children unable to attend schools, to feeling isolated at home, to suddenly losing loved ones, are still with us.”
Being locked up at home and having to learn online was difficult for some, but it was also a blessing for others. With COVID-19 safety guidelines and restrictions, Kolaj was able to spend more time with his family at home. “Learning from home with my son and wife during my first year at Stritch was an enormous and unexpected gift,” he said.
The pandemic helped the class of 2024 come together as a community, deepening their sense of learning and connection. “Our class had Town Hall meetings and direct communication with the administration specifically about learning in a pandemic during our preclinical years. I felt incredibly supported by my classmates and faculty as we regularly checked in with each other and motivated one another,” said Kolaj.
As the Stritch class of 2024 reflects on their unprecedented journey through medical school amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes evident that they have emerged not only as resilient physicians-in-training but also as a tightly-knit community. Stritch continues to provide excellent clinical training for MD candidates, effectively preparing them for residency, even during a global pandemic.
April 2024
By Marena Keci and Naomi Gitlin
The Stritch Class of 2024 has had a medical school experience like no other. Entering medical school in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, was not something any incoming physicians-in-training expected. Medical school is challenging enough; learning remotely in classes that are usually “hands-on,” combined with the inability to create in-person bonds and develop a support system with students, staff, and faculty, could have been daunting.
“At every stage of the pandemic, there were new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on whether or not we could come back to school, it was constantly ebbing and flowing, and we really had to be flexible,” said M4 and Alpha Omega Alpha inductee Charlotte Adema. M4s wanted to meet and interact with their classmates. Luckily, Loyola took the initiative to host many virtual events. “It was different, we were completely on Zoom, but there were still many opportunities to create bonds with classmates,” said Adema. She emphasized that building relationships with people who support you and who understand the commitment and dedication medical school requires is vital to succeeding.
Flexibility is one of the most important skills for physicians. With new rotations, patients, and schedules thrown at them at a moment’s notice, physicians must be alert and adaptable. This unique medical school experience has enhanced their preparation for residency.
Once back on campus in 2021, M4 Aaron Deng, vice president, class of 2024, revitalized traditions lost during the pandemic. He advocated for students who felt frustrated about coming back in person after the lockdown. He encouraged in-person activities such as M1 and M2 basketball and football games. The event that had the largest impact on the class was the class formal. “We created fun events that students wanted to attend,” said Deng. “We were all striving to gain human connection after the pandemic,” he said.
For M4 Sebastian Kolaj, the pandemic made medicine feel both precarious and necessary. It is imperative to educate oneself about social determinants of health and racial bias in the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Kolaj.” Starting medical school during the pandemic has made him “think about caregivers and social dynamics in a new light as the mental health effects of the pandemic, from children unable to attend schools, to feeling isolated at home, to suddenly losing loved ones, are still with us.”
Being locked up at home and having to learn online was difficult for some, but it was also a blessing for others. With COVID-19 safety guidelines and restrictions, Kolaj was able to spend more time with his family at home. “Learning from home with my son and wife during my first year at Stritch was an enormous and unexpected gift,” he said.
The pandemic helped the class of 2024 come together as a community, deepening their sense of learning and connection. “Our class had Town Hall meetings and direct communication with the administration specifically about learning in a pandemic during our preclinical years. I felt incredibly supported by my classmates and faculty as we regularly checked in with each other and motivated one another,” said Kolaj.
As the Stritch class of 2024 reflects on their unprecedented journey through medical school amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes evident that they have emerged not only as resilient physicians-in-training but also as a tightly-knit community. Stritch continues to provide excellent clinical training for MD candidates, effectively preparing them for residency, even during a global pandemic.
April 2024