So how did I come to end up in rural Ohio, leaving sunny Arizona to go to... well, Ohio? I wrote an essay for a government program associated with rual and underserved populations in Ohio. I think it really sums up my journey well, I so I thought I'd share most of it with you.
From Suburbia to Appalachia
One Physician’s Journey to Rural Ohio
“So why are you here?” It is the most common question posed to me by people in Ohio after they find out that I, Tony H., am originally from Arizona. There is a certain amount of disbelief that someone would willingly choose to leave Arizona and live in Ohio. But my journey from the large metropolis of Phoenix in sunny Arizona to a small, rural community in the Appalachian foothills in Ohio has convinced me that I have made the right choice.
I was born and raised in the Phoenix metro area. During high school I realized that science was my academic strength, but that I was drawn to being around and working with people. Following high school, I attended Grand Canyon University (GCU), a small, private college in Phoenix. One of the reasons I chose GCU was because of its strong pre-med program. I realized that medicine was a great way to join my academic strengths with my joy of working around and with people. While at GCU, I was exposed to Osteopathic Medicine through an affiliation GCU had with the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM, now the A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, or ATSU) in Kirksville, Missouri. When I learned of the emphasis that Osteopathic Medicine placed on holistic, hands-on healing and primary care, I was convinced that Osteopathic Medicine was the career for me. I graduated from GCU with a major in General Biology and a minor in Sociology. Though I was very active in extracurricular activities and graduated Summa Cum Laude, and could have been a competitive applicant at most medical schools, I applied only to Osteopathic medical schools because of the Osteopathic approach to health care. My decision of medical schools has had the greatest impact on my future of all my decisions.
I decided to attend KCOM for three reasons. One, it is the founding school of Osteopathic Medicine, founded in 1892; two, it had a strong academic reputation; and three, they provided 3rd and 4th year rotations in Phoenix (the first two years are entirely in Kirksville). This was important to me, because prior to medical school, my intention was to return to Phoenix, do my residency there, and open a family practice in one of the growing suburbs. My first year in Kirksville did little to change that goal. Kirksville, a town of less than 20,000 people, was about 3 ½ hours from both Kansas City and St. Louis, and was hot and humid in the summers and bitterly cold in the winter. But as I got involved in the community through my church involvement, I grew to really appreciate and enjoy the small town Midwest lifestyle. After my first two years, I was able to return to Phoenix to begin my 3rd year rotations. Although I was “home,” I missed the short commutes, the grass that just grows without watering, the changing of the seasons, and the cooler weather. After just two rotations in Arizona, I had the opportunity to go to the Cleveland, Ohio, area to complete my 3rd year rotations. I immediately took the opportunity, and found that I quickly developed friendships, and really enjoyed the strong academic medicine I was experiencing. Prior to leaving Kirksville, I had applied and been accepted to an Undergraduate Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Fellowship. So, following my third year in Ohio, I was able to return to Kirksville for a year where I got additional OMM experience, and helped teach the 1st and 2nd year students. It was a wonderful experience where I got to develop not only my OMM skills, but also my teaching and academic medicine skills.
After my fellowship year, I decided to return to Ohio for my last year of rotations. I was based at Doctors Hospital of Stark County, in Massillon, Ohio. It is a medium-sized community hospital where I got wonderful training. I decided to stay there for both internship and family practice residency. I was involved in medical education there, and worked with the regional training of Ohio University’s medical students, especially in OMM. In all, I spent four years at Doctors Hospital and in the Stark County, Ohio, area. I have grown to love Ohio, the weather, the people, the beauty of the rolling hills, and the small town atmosphere.
While at Doctors Hospital, I was exposed to an opportunity to work at the Arrowhead Clinic in Newcomerstown, Ohio, a small town of 4,000 in east-central Ohio. After spending two rotations at the Clinic, I knew that this job opportunity was perfect for me. It allowed me to serve underserved individuals, which I was comfortable with and enjoyed after having spent time serving a similar population during residency. After nearly eight years away from Arizona, and nearly 5 years in Ohio, I knew that Ohio was “home.”
No comments:
Post a Comment