Jeremy Altman, Current MD Candidate
BU Major & Graduation Date:
Biology with a Specialization in Neurobiology, 2018
Current School and Year:
Robert Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont (M.D. Candidate, Class of 2024)
Preferred Pronouns:
He/Him/His
Hometown:
Hillsdale, NJ
What school are you attending and what you are studying? Why did you choose to apply to this school? What do you think makes your school unique?
I attend medical school at The Robert Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont. I am currently a fourth-year student and am applying for Anesthesiology Residencies this upcoming fall! I applied to a lot of medical schools (both Allopathic and Osteopathic), but I was mainly drawn to UVM due to its warm and friendly environment. During my interview day, I spoke to so many students that shared their overwhelmingly positive experiences about the program. It was clear to me that the student body was collaborative, diverse and driven, along with faculty that had a drive to do what they could to enhance the medical training experience.
I can say as I wrap up my medical school journey that I made the perfect choice. With enthusiastic attending physicians and residents, I had the opportunity to get rich hands-on experience working with patients and having a nonjudgmental environment to challenge myself to take on more ownership over my patients. In addition, the city of Burlington has a lot of unique things to offer, including trendy places to eat or watch live music, the proximity to Montreal and Boston, along with so many great ski resorts within an hour’s drive. If you like hiking, this is the place for you, especially to take in all the autumn foliage!
Is there a specialization and/or specific population you are interested in? Why? How did you get into it and/or learn more about it?
I am applying to Anesthesia residency programs this upcoming fall season. One of my favorite things about anesthesia is that there is a wide array of patient populations and departments that you can get involved in. During my third-year rotations, I thoroughly enjoyed my OB/GYN, Pediatric and Cardiology services, and a career in anesthesia would let me incorporate my interests in subspecialites that included similar patients. In medical school, anesthesia is usually an elective that not everyone chooses to experience, and I would highly recommend seeking the opportunity for that kind of exposure in your medical school career.
What are one or two of your favorite experiences/activities and why?
One of my favorite experiences during college was having the opportunity to work as a medical scribe in the finish line tent for the Boston Marathon. I got to volunteer for three years in a row, and I loved participating in the action of it all. It was one of my first experiences collaborating directly with physicians and have some first-hand clinical decision-making challenges.
I also owe a lot of my success in handling the stress of preparing my medical school application to having a creative outlet. I love theater and acting, so I participated every semester in plays produced through the Wandering Minds theatre club. I am so grateful to have found a way to spend time with friends, working together to create a performance, and having some fun along the way.
Did you take gap years?
I took 2 gap years, and it was a decision that I remain incredibly grateful for. I worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Department of Anesthesiology at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, mainly recruiting and working with study participants in pain management studies spanning multiple fields of medicine. One of our main studies at the time was determining the benefit of a local anesthetic nerve blocks for patients undergoing elective C-sections, which was found to have reduced the amount of post-op opiate consumption during their recovery period. It was rewarding working with physicians and other healthcare professionals for 2 years, as it prepared me for the fast-paced workflow of the hospital and becoming a reliable point person for the physicians, nurses and patients involved in the studies. I also studied to retake my MCAT during my first gap year, which was an initially daunting time of my life, but I learned a lot about how to become a more efficient studier having to balance a full-time job on top of that.
What was your favorite BU course and why?
My favorite course throughout my time at BU was without a doubt the “Animal Behavior” course taught by Dr. Wasserman (If I remember correctly, it was listed as BI 407?). I think what stood out to me about the course was having Dr. Wasserman as a lecturer. He has such a magnetic quality about him where he mixes his sense of humor and wonderment for the complexity of how animals live. From learning how bees use dances to communicate to mafia-like behavior in birds, I always looked forward to walking to lecture, because it was like watching a nature documentary every afternoon.
Were you involved in any clubs/groups at BU?
Wandering Minds Theatre Club – Of the many performance clubs at BU, the Wandering Minds theater club was one of the clubs that aimed to put on one to two play productions each semester. I started acting in plays with Wandering Minds in the spring of my freshman year, and I am so glad I joined. The club was intimate and included members from every background and academic interest. From working behind the stage, building the set, directing to acting, there are numerous ways for people to get involved!
Red Cross Volunteers Club – The Red Cross Volunteers Club was a student-led organization that worked to find ways for undergraduate students to participate in various community service events. During my time in the club, I had the opportunity to volunteer at local food banks, soup kitchens, assisted living facilities and the medical tent at the annual Boston Marathon.
Have you always known you wanted to be a doctor? What/who has been your biggest inspiration?
I always knew that I wanted to go into the healthcare field. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my cousins who were nurses, and I was consistently engaged when hearing about their experiences working in a hospital and treating patients. There was a time where I considered going into a PA program because I enjoyed the possibility of working in multiple specialties, but I ultimately chose to go to medical school after shadowing multiple doctors, because I appreciated having the increased responsibility and autonomy of a physician. Especially when it comes to complex patient illnesses, I have found physicians to have more involvement.
My biggest inspiration is my parents. They aren’t in the healthcare field, but I owe all of my values of compassion, selflessness, and motivation to learn from them. I wouldn’t be where I am without their inspiration and support, and I will continue to uphold these values in my practice of medicine.
What resources at BU did you find most helpful or want to spotlight that others might not know about?
I found the Pre-Med Advising Office to be helpful when looking at where you stand as an applicant. With the knowledge of where previous BU students matriculated and comparing your stats and experiences, you are more capable of curating a fitting list of medical schools to apply to. I will say that an underrated resource is speaking with current medical students of all years. The process of applying to medical school is complicated and harrowing at times, and there is a lot of uncertainty that could be difficult at first. It was incredibly helpful to speak with medical students because they were able to prepare me for what to expect throughout the application cycle like preparing for interviews, writing letters of intent, and what values to prioritize when picking a school to attend.
What are your hobbies/What do you like to do for fun outside of the classroom?
Whenever I have free time, I enjoy playing guitar and listening to new music from around the world. My current obsessions are Ethiopian Jazz and Portuguese Fado, but I am always looking for recommendations. I also started expanding my cooking and trying new recipes. I recently started cooking Jewish recipes that I used to enjoy with family during my childhood, and it’s so fulfilling being able to recreate it and share the meal with my friends after a long week.
Are there any tips/advice you would like to share with current pre-health students?
I cannot recommend taking gap years enough to future medical school applicants. When I was in college, I was itching to start medical school immediately after graduating. However, I am so grateful for the opportunity to work at Brigham & Women’s Hospital for clinical research, because it enabled me to learn more about myself living as an adult in Boston. It’s important to take a break from the classroom because the medical training journey is a long one and it’s so easy to burn out from it.
There are no wrong answers when picking an avenue to spend your gap years. With all of the possibilities, it can be intimidating figuring out how you want to spend your time. With this in mind, I started a passion project during medical school, a podcast called “Mind the Gap: Finding Your Path to Medicine” where I interview current non-traditional medical students and physicians as they reflect on their indirect path to pursuing a career in medicine. At the University of Vermont, there are a significant amount of students and physicians that have come from diverse backgrounds like switching careers entirely, being professional athletes and spending up to 10 years before starting medical school. As I got to learn from my peers about their experiences from their lives before medicine, I have been humbled by their abilities to overcome adversity and carry many values into their future practice as physicians. I have met students who used to be highly successful people in business, English teachers abroad, and even engineering who have been thankful for their gap years.
I hope to spread the message to future pre-med students that there are no wrong answers when searching for experiences to engage in after graduation. The best thing you can do is go out into the world and work, explore, and soak in challenging experiences, travel to places with cultures that pique your interest. You will unsurprisingly learn more about yourself, be more mature, and undoubtably be a more successful medical student and provider for your future patients.
Find “Mind the Gap: Finding Your Path to Medicine” here
Instagram: @mindthegap_med