Robert James

• Why medicine?  

My initial interest in medicine came about when I was cared for by an orthopedic physician over the course of several visits after I damaged my knee playing high school football. I was enthralled with the entire process of using biotechnology to figure out what went wrong with my body and how I can fix it. I developed a better understanding of what it was like to be a healthcare professional through summer programs such as SHPEP (formerly SMDEP) and Travelers Research Fellowship at Weill Cornell. By my junior year of college I was completely sold that medicine was a field in which I can see myself living the rest of my life, and it was an opportunity for me to provide services in a capacity to my fellow humans that I could not give in another profession. 

• What made you join MAPS?

I vividly recall a time during the spring semester of my freshman year of college

when I was completely burnt out with pre-medical life. The course load and academic demands felt all too taxing. This was around the time when I was convinced into attending a program that Trisha and Pierrot (current 2nd yr med students at URSOM) put together which featured a panel of women physicians. They spoke so candidly about how they had felt similarly at times throughout their journeys as pre-medical and medical students that my faith in the process of becoming a doctor was restored. The panel coerced me into the realization that becoming a physician is a struggle that EVERYONE grapples with… no matter how fit for the position they may appear. After this event I joined MAPS as a general member for the remainder of the year. 

Did you hold any eboard positions while in MAPS? If so, what was that like for you? 

I was Programming Chair during my sophomore year, VP junior year, and President senior year. Programming Chair is a wonderful position to start out with in MAPS as it is not too demanding of a position and it allows you to develop potentially beneficial connections with healthcare professionals.

• How did MAPS help and or shape you with the decisions you went on to making?

MAPS is ultimately what you make of it. It is a resource that MUST be taken advantage of and I cannot stress that enough. I learned about countless important summer internships in medicine that provided me with invaluable personal development and made me a more competitive applicant to medical school. I was also able to connect with physicians and establish beneficial relationships which culminated in strong letters of rec. I received funding to attend conferences across the country which helped me gain a better understanding of what schools to apply to and it provided me with a chance to establish connections with admissions committee members at various institutions. 

• If you can give any piece of advice to any of the undergraduate students of MAPS, what would it be? 

Get out in the community - and not just the one on campus. Explore avenues to get off campus and touch people. Join campus groups and add to them. Build off of what has been previously done. Leave your legacy behind in some way. 

• What are some of the things you are doing now?

I’m currently beginning my first year of medical school at NYU Langone (which every member of MAPS will apply to when their time comes.)