Officially a 5th Year Plastic Surgeon (In Training)!!!!

Officially a 5th year Plastic Surgery Resident!!!!

Ah, the happiness I feel when I log in to type up a blog post is unmatched! In trying to keep up with social media and what people want to see, I think I somehow forgot that the whole point of documenting my journey is so that I can have something to look back on to make ME happy. So with that being said, I'm glad to be back on this platform, and this post will pretty much be a recap on how the first half of this year has went for me. 

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JANUARY

I always consider January to be the best month because it's my birthday month, but this year it came with a little extra flair as I took on the role of becoming a (short-lived) professional model for Hypothesis Scrubs. So to give a little backstory, a production company reached out to me last September to do a major campaign for NYC healthcare professionals. As I am Miami-based, I politely declined, but told them to please let me know if anything arose in my area. Imagine my surprise when they reached out again in late December for a campaign in Miami! I scheduled my Zoom meeting with the company for early January, and I remember the interview vividly because even though I had scheduled it for late that evening, I was still in the middle of operating when it came close to my interview time. Luckily, I have an amazing attending who let me scrub out to take the meeting. It was quick and I wasn't sure if I would be picked, but about 2 weeks later I received the message that I was in and was given shoot dates for the end of the month. Of course, I had to ask permission to leave work for one day of filming, but considering that my residency pay is extremely low and this would pay more than I make in a month for only one day of work, I jumped on it without hesitation!

The shoot day was super fun. We started bright and early at around 530am, and I had both a hair and make up artist. I had already done my fitting during the weekend, so I knew what I would be wearing and how it would fit. Not even gonna lie, I hate paying for scrubs (especially when I'm in hospital-issued scrubs 95% of the time), but their scrubs fit and felt so good that I am still considering buying a few pair of my own. But anyway, back to the shoot. There was an entire crew and we filmed at the University of Miami, so there were demo operating rooms and patient rooms ready to go. As this was my first time doing anything modeling related, I had to get used to the lingo (ie reset means go back and do the same exact thing over again), but I loved seeing myself on the screens. Plus, the Amiga Studio production staff were all incredible. We shot videos and still shots and they all came out amazing! Click the pic above to watch the extended YouTube video and let me know what you think :) And if you'd like to buy a pair, feel free to check out the link HERE.

 

As for other photo shoots in January, I had always wanted to do a birthday one, so I did just that! I loved being a model and got some great shots. The crazy thing is that I had a really bad allergic reaction that caused my lips to swell up the day prior, and even though it was improving, my lips were still pretty swollen during my shoot so I received a ton of questions asking if I got fillers, lol. Nope! I just really wanted to do my photo shoot and wasn't going to let a little swelling stop my shine 😂 Overall, I ended up having a great birthday experience, and January was a fun month to ring in Chapter 38.

FEBRUARY

  

February also had it's fun and new adventures. I was with the same plastic surgery attending as the previous month, and he had just launched his new vitality drink, EUROKY, so of course there was a launch party. The party took place during my birthday weekend, so I counted it as a celebration for me since I wasn't allowed any time off for a real vacation. It was a great time and I actually enjoy the drink, so if you're into vitality energy drinks with a great taste and no jitters (I am extremely caffeine-sensitive, but this doesn't have a bad affect on me), then head over to Amazon and buy today!

I was also invited to VCOM-Virginia as part of the William G Anderson, DO Black History Month Keynote Speaker Series, and it was such an honor to speak with the students and staff of this wonderful institution! Getting to Blacksburg, VA was a bit of a feat with an almost near-death plane experience that included a diversion and a van shuttle in from a different state, but once I made it, I was happy to be there. The SNMA leadership made sure I was well accomodated, and being able to speak to over 200 attendees was incredible. 

Even before stepping foot on campus, I was absolutely floored by the level of professionalism and kindness of the faculty, staff, students, and VCOM-VA SNMA leadership. They gave me the opportunity to meet with the legendary osteopathic physician/surgeon, and civil rights leader Dr William G Anderson via zoom to hear his story personally from him, and when I arrived they gifted me with a signed copy of his book that reads "There's more room at the top...Go there!" 🥹 I truly hope my visit impacted them as positively as they impacted me.

MARCH

March was spent in Miami Beach doing a combination of aesthetic plastic surgery and hand surgery. I also completed my 4th annual plastic surgery in-service examination, and was happy to have another year behind me. Honestly, I think March was where I really started to resurface again after months of trying to be under a rock for in-service studying, work, and everything else, so I can't remember much else that happened during this month.

APRIL

The first weekend in April, I had the pleasure of visiting Newport Beach, CA for the Allergan Knowledge and Education for Young Surgeons (KEYS) program. I always love attending Allergan events because I learn so much with the plus of exploring new areas! As the meeting starts on the first day at 7am, I was able to fly in the day prior and take advantage of some much needed "me time" before the conference began. I treated myself to a massage and a day at the spa followed by a wonderful dinner at a restaurant called Ocean 48. Apparently, this was a new and extremely popular restaurant, but I was able to obtain a last minute reservation at 430pm which for me was 730pm east coast time so it was perfect! They sat me at the best table in the restaurant next to a gorgeous pool and I had the best solo dining experience ever! I literally felt like Queen Latifah in that movie where she goes to a restaurant and orders everything on the menu to enjoy her last days.

As for the conference, I loved actively learning about breast reconstruction. They even had silicone breast models that we practiced markings on as small groups. There was also an injectable portion that went over the different available fillers, and I liked how hands on it was. It's crazy how much the conference covers in only one day, but the busy resident part of me truly appreciates opportunites like this that allow me to get away without affecting my work. I also enjoy interacting with residents from other programs across the country.

I can't end April without discussing my little one as this was also her prom month. My daughter was absolutely gorgeous in her dress! I actually never got to have the true senior prom experience as I was in college full-time as a joint enrollment high school student, and I didn't really know anyone since I moved so many times during my childhood, so it has been such a blessing getting to witness my daughter have experiences I never had. 

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My daughter also finally decided on a college in April and made her announcement. I'm so excited that she will be headed to my alma mater, Louisiana State University! 💜💛💜💛 I think I'm even more glad to be done with all the college visits. We had our final one to FAU at the end of February, but over the course of the past year, I think we had more than 5, so I was tired of the whole process. I'm excited that she'll be attending a school that I am familiar with and that will help get her out of her shell while molding her to be successful in life.

MAY

And continuing on with my daughter, I'm officially the mother of a high school graduate!!!! I was so extremely proud to see my baby walk across the stage and receive her diploma with distinction in May. Celebrating her and all her accomplishments made all the stresses of graduation and partying planning worth it for me. I had planned a mommy/daughter trip but cancelled it last minute because she said she wanted to hang out with her friends. She ended up not going out and staying up under me for the week, but it was great to have uninterrupted bonding together. I'm so extremely blessed to have such a great daughter.

Oh, and speaking of graduations, Larkin Plastic Surgery officially graduated its first class of residents! We had a beautiful dinner to celebrate our outgoing chief residents at the end of May. Which reminds me, we also had our 1st ever Larkin Plastic Surgery Women's gathering at the beginning of May, and we looked good, so sharing that pic above.

JUNE

The next month sucked as I was on transplant surgery, but it was my final month as a 4th year plastic surgery resident, so that was the highlight. I also met some awesome students that knew me from social media, so it was great being able to catch up with people in real life. I honestly don't have much for June other than working. I did get to do some nice liver and kidney cases, but honestly I'm happier with plastic surgery, and I'm glad that from here on out that will be my focus for life. I ended the month (and another year of residency), by attending the Jeezy TM:101 20th Anniversary Black Tie concert, so that was my fun highlight for June.

NOW

I think that pretty much sums up the first 6 months of the year. Ya girl is officially a 5th year Plastic Surgeon (in training) as of last week, and I couldn't be happier! There's not a day that goes by where I don't wake up feeling blessed to be in the position I am in. Yeah, I might b*tch and complain every now and then, but I am truly ecstatic to be actively pursuing my dreams with a MAJOR milestone in sight! Going back through this blog and seeing where I started versus where I am now is so surreal. 5 years ago at this time, I would have never imagined that at this time I would be living in Miami and training to be a plastic surgeon. Just goes to show how God truly is in control and how trusting in Him and His process will always cause things to work out for the best. 

That's about all I have to say, but if you've read this far, thank you for much for continuing to follow along on my journey. I'm still here, still kicking, and can't wait to become your favorite plastic surgeon 😁

Recap of SNMA AMEC 2018: San Francisco, CA

Last month I officially ended my tenure as National President of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) with a successful Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) in San Francisco, California. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, then you know that I hold the SNMA near and dear to my heart, but it has also taken up A LOT of my time over the past few years. This past year was especially taxing as I not only had to make sure my executive agenda was being implemented by our base of over 7000 members, but I also had to plan and organize three National Leadership Institutes, our annual conference, and stay the “face” of the organization, all while being on surgery audition rotations and completing other medical school clerkships. To say I’ve been busy is an understatement, but despite it all, it was an experience I wouldn’t have traded for the world.

The SNMA AMEC takes place every year the four days leading up to Easter Sunday, and it takes over a year to plan. As SNMA National President, my major role in AMEC was conference programming. This meant developing the theme for the conference (including coming up with the title and description), putting together workshops that fit within the theme, making sure each national committee had a role in the conference, and working with the convention planning committee to make sure everything was on track. I even got to pick out the food for my luncheon, and meet with key hotel staff, so that was pretty neat. Our National Headquarters staff took care of logistics such as figuring out which rooms to put speakers in, costs, sponsors, and other technical details, but for the most part, the majority of the conference falls on the president. Yes, this was essentially “my” conference, so the stress levels were to the max to make sure everything went smoothly and that everyone attending had a great experience. This conference was also extremely important to me because the very first AMEC I ever attended was as a pre-medical student in 2007 at the same location in San Francisco. It was definitely a full-circle moment for me!

From 2007 as a pre-med to now 2018 as a graduating med student

I arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday, and the first point of business was helping to stuff bags for the conference attendees, followed by a pre-conference meeting with hotel department personnel. When we walked into the room we were greeted by about 20 friendly individuals from the hotel. We then discussed how we wanted the week to go, and I was very pleased that everyone was interested in my wants for the week. I was even given a VIP pendant so that I could be identified by hotel personnel in case I needed anything. I think the only major concern was that I had requested beef for my luncheon which was to take place on Good Friday, but after discussing with the hotel chef, I happily switched it with the fish that was being served for the Saturday banquet. 

The calm before the AMEC craziness hit

Since Tuesday’s task list didn’t take too long, and the first meeting on Wednesday didn’t start until 5pm, I was blessed with some free time to relax and explore before the conference craziness started. I linked up with an old high school friend who lives in the area and is also a great photographer, and we knocked out my graduation photo shoot. We also took a short trip to Pacifica, California where I got the chance to hike the trails and take in some awesome views. It was a very much needed calm before the storm.

Morning Views

Thursday was when the real work began. My day started with an 8am Board of Directors meeting where we discussed business and heard the presentations from candidates running for office. After that, it was off to the opening Plenary Session where I met with the speakers beforehand, gave a few remarks, and then listened to a great keynote speech by Brigadier General Telita Crosland. After that, we rushed to the exhibit hall where we had to do the opening ribbon cutting ceremony. I was actually surprised that I had a little time to visit some of the exhibits this year, and it was great meeting and interacting with some of the members. Sadly, I didn’t get to attend any of the workshops, and the rest of the day was followed with a 2-hour House of Delegates session, a Stanford reception, and regional meetings. I didn’t make it back to my hotel room until after 11pm, and I was too tired to participate in any of the night events. Luckily, the hotel gave me an AMAZING presidential suite with a breathtaking view of the city, so I was very happy to relax, listen to music, and enjoy my room.

Dr. Velma Scantlebury and my wonderful mentee D'Sena'

Friday was more of the same schedule, but it was an exciting day since it was also when I held my Presidential Luncheon and passed down the reigns to the new national president. The keynote speaker for the luncheon was my phenomenal mentor Dr. Velma Scantlebury (the first black female transplant surgeon in the US, for those of you who don’t know), and she gave a phenomenal talk. We also didn’t go over on time (the luncheon is only scheduled for 2 hours), which rarely happens! I was ecstatic! The rest of the day was a lot less busy after that, but I was still swamped with things to do, so I was extremely grateful for Dr. Scantlebury and my mentee who went out and picked up a cake I ordered along with drinks and supplies so that I could throw a surprise get together for the national committee chairs later that evening. I also had to briefly speak at the Osteopathic Schools reception being held that evening, but it was an absolute pleasure meeting with Dr. Adrienne White-Faines, the CEO of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), who even gave me a twitter shout-out!

Twitter shout-out from the CEO of the AOA!

I just realized this post is super long, so I’ll do a quick wrap-up of the rest of the conference. Basically more meetings, a great pre-medical luncheon, and a closing banquet with a graduation component for the 4^th year medical students complete with a gorgeous blue graduation stole, free membership into the NMA, and a great keynote speech given by Dr. Zoanne Clack (one of the writers for Grey’s Anatomy and also a proud SNMA alumna). Overall, it was an amazing conference, and I received a ton of great feedback.

My National Committee Chairs were the absolute best!

I am so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to serve as the 2017-2018 SNMA National President, and I am even more thankful to have served with a fantastic Chair, Vice-President, National Committee Chairs, and the Board of Directors. There are honestly no words to describe how good it felt seeing my vision come to life, and this past year has been an experience I won’t forget. I look forward to continuing to serve this amazing organization, and I can’t wait to see what the current SNMA president accomplishes this year. I’m also excited that his conference will be taking place in Philadelphia, PA next year where I will be for residency, so I look forward to seeing you all there!

End of conference slay

2018-2019 SNMA National President Gabriel Felix

When Dreams Start to Become a Reality

Surgery with Dr. Velma Scantlebury, the first balck female transplant surgeon in the US

In my previous post, I promised I would do a quick recap of my experiences in Delaware last month. This was an exciting month not only because I was finishing up the last of my general surgery audition/away rotations, but because I was blessed with the opportunity to meet some amazing individuals while having awe-inspiring experiences. If you follow me on my Instagram or other social media accounts, then you already know my most memorable experience was being able to assist Dr. Velma Scantlebury, the first black female transplant surgeon in the United States, with surgery! I’ve had so many great moments during my time as a medical student, but this has probably been my favorite thus far. It was definitely something that I will never forget, and it really gave meaning to all the long nights spent studying, the constant sacrifices, and the many times I began to doubt if I was even on the right path. It was just what I needed to further drive my passion to become a surgeon, and I will forever be grateful that I even had the chance to experience this.

Blessed to called her both a friend and mentor

Speaking of great individuals, it’s one thing to have role models in life who you aspire to be like, but to actually meet them and have them be even more fantastic in person is simply amazing! Not only did Dr. Scantlebury open her home to me for the entire month I was in Delaware, but she always made herself available to answer my millions of questions and she gave the best advice. It was so cool being able to hang out with her and I am so blessed to have her in my life as both a phenomenal friend and mentor. I also got the chance to finally meet some of my other mentors while I was in Delaware, and it was so nice to have a support system while I was busy making it through the surgery grind. The hours were rough (especially during the first two weeks I spent in the SICU), and it was stressful at times, but receiving texts and visits throughout the day from some of my mentors made me feel super loved :-)

Some the the University of Delaware SNMA MAPS members

Another highlight of my month in Delaware was getting to interact with some of my SNMA family. I had the pleasure of attending a diversity event where I met some awesome pre-medical students from the University of Delaware who also happen to be the Student National Medical Association’s Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS) chapter members. It was a pleasure being able to get their insights and discuss medical school and the admissions process with them. A huge portion of my agenda this year as SNMA National President focuses on inspiring our youth and encouraging students to pursue medical school, so it is good knowing that my efforts are not going unnoticed. Speaking of which, the next SNMA National Leadership Institute will be held in New Orleans, LA January 26-28, 2018, so if you’re a pre-medical student interested in workshops designed to provide you with the knowledge to successfully get into medical school, or a medical student interested in building your leadership skills, click HERE to apply today! I look forward to meeting you and seeing some old faces.

I think this pretty much covers everything I wanted to say about last month. I still have to pinch myself sometimes when I think back on how much of a struggle it was to just get into medical school to now where I am getting opportunities to perform surgeries with legends. It is a true reminder of how far I have come, and it reminds me to not forget to bring people up with me along the way. I will continue to share these moments with you all because I want everyone to know that no dream is impossible, and that everything works out and happens at the right time. Just keep pushing, stay determined, and don’t let anyone tell you that you aren't capable of achieving your goals. Anyway, I’m beginning to rant, so I’ll end here. I hope everyone reading this has a great week!

Goodbye Vacation, Hello 4th Year!

That 4th year glow!

Vacation time might be over, but I'm officially a 4th year medical student, and couldn't be happier!!! I'm one week into my first rotation of the year, but I'm still feeling the effects of a wonderful two-week break that was filled with relaxation and happy vibes. Plus I found out yesterday that I passed the COMLEX Level 2 CE exam I took on May 8th (and scored higher than my Level 1 exam), so I'm pretty much on cloud nine. I officially passed all of the medical board licensing exams required for graduation which means I'm going to be a doctor, y'all!

Chicago fun!

But to rewind, I finished my third year with a great rotation in neurology that gave me the opportunity to really develop my examination skills, but I was ready for a break! So a few days after my rotation ended, I took a short trip to Chicago and had a blast! I finally got to see the play "Hamilton" (an amazing experience!), checked out the Rolling Stones exhibit at Navy Pier, and I got my fill of super delicious foods. I even took some time to stop by the American Osteopathic Association headquarters. It was great meeting the content editor for The DO magazine, who gave me a tour of the building, let me hold an autographed copy of A.T. Still's biography (he was the founder of osteopathic medicine), and she even hooked me up with some awesome freebies. I was one happy lady :-)

Weekend Girl's Trip

After Chicago, I made a trip to Mississippi to drop my daughter off with my dad since she had just finished school, and then it was off to Louisiana with my mom and two of my sisters for a girl's weekend getaway. We enjoyed the spa, watched a movie, danced, saw Smokey Robinson perform live, and somehow in the mix, I even ended up holding a baby alligator. It was a great time!

More Excitement to Come!

But now, it's back to reality as I'm currently back on the rotation grind. This month, I'm taking it somewhat easy with a family medicine rotation since next month I'll be starting my general surgery audition rotations. I'll be spending the next few weeks packing up and getting ready to live out of my car for a few months, but I'm excited for new adventures. I'll make sure to update everyone on all of that later, along with the other posts I promised, but for now I gotta get back to work!

Breaking Barriers and Excited for What’s to Come!

My excitement at becoming SNMA National President!

It has been a while since my last full post, and sooo much awesomeness has occurred! I’ve officially made it to my 4^th year of medical school, am currently enjoying the tail end of a very much needed two-week vacation, and probably what everyone is most aware of is the fact that I recently became the first osteopathic medical student to serve as National President of the Student National Medical Association! Life has been a complete whirlwind for the past 2 months, but I’ll focus this post on the SNMA, and leave my upcoming posts for school, vacation, and mommy-mode updates.  

Extremely blessed to have my daughter and sister attend the conference

On April 14^th, I ended my term as President-Elect of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), and was inducted as National President during the Annual Medical Education Conference that was held in Atlanta, Georgia this year. It was such a blessing to have the conference where I live because I was able to bring my daughter to my induction which meant so much to me. Most people don’t realize how much she goes through this journey with me, and despite knowing she’s proud of me as a mother, I wanted her to get the bigger picture and really see why I’m always on conference calls or traveling when I could be spending that time with her. I also brought my sister to the conference, because if it weren’t for her coming all the way to Georgia to take on the job as nanny this past summer, life would be a lot harder and way more expensive (still have to pay her a ton, but a lot cheaper than a stranger LOL). My daughter still talks about the event, and I am extremely happy that I could expose her to thousands of individuals on the path of becoming physicians and let her see her mommy in action at the same time :-)

I attend the best medical school ever!

I was also pleasantly surprised at the amazing support I received from my school during the conference. Not only were both the Philadelphia and Georgia campuses of PCOM well represented at the conference, but the administrative staff even put together a small party to celebrate my new milestone. There was cake, great people from my PCOM family, and I was even surprised to see my picture in an ad in the program book. It was equally great meeting fellow students from my main campus and forming new bonds. I couldn’t attend a better institution and I continue to remain grateful for all the support.

Love my PCOM family!

I am looking forward to my year as president and I’m excited to take you all along on the journey. The SNMA is an organization I am extremely passionate about, and my goal is to use my position to continue the mission of the organization and focus on my passions of inspiring youth to become physicians, supporting my fellow non-traditional students, breaking barriers, and representing the osteopathic medical profession. I hope you all will stick around for the ride!