“The gift that keeps on giving”

I was lucky enough to be a part of the 2023 HBMC REACH program at Stanford this Summer. I initially found out about the program from a colleague who was a mentee in the program the previous year, and spoke highly of their experience. Even before being matched with my mentor, it was clear that the program was determined to create a productive environment for a novice researcher to learn and make connections within the community of medical research.

When I met with Dr. Chertow in the spring prior to the start of the program, my perceptions of the program were further affirmed. He was gentle and wise with his instruction, recognizing my lack of hands-on research experience but nonetheless giving me the responsibility and opportunity to learn as I went along. As we worked through the process of deciding on a question, Dr. Chertow helped to guide me in selecting a question that was both novel as well as feasible to complete in the finite time window of the program.

Upon arriving in Stanford, I was able to join Dr. Chertow in some of his research meetings, attend program events about Stanford residency, and attend grand rounds for the Department of Medicine and Division of Nephrology. I was also fortunate enough to have the assistance of the statistics team at Porter Drive, in particular Dr Snow Yu, a biostatistician in the Department of Medicine. Without her help, the project would have been nearly impossible to complete. 

My time at Stanford showed me the importance of collaboration in research. In seeing the research group Dr. Chertow was a part of, consisting of statisticians, post docs, urologists, and nephrologists, and in my own experiences and reliance on the statistics team of Snow and Maria, it became even more clear that medicine, and medical research in particular, is a group effort that relies on the efforts of multiple dedicated individuals.

The Stanford REACH program provided me with the opportunity to experience a taste of academic medicine. Dr. Chertow was an amazing mentor, generous in his wealth of knowledge and kind in his understanding of my role as a student. The REACH-HBMC team was enthusiastic, helpful, and always quick to respond to any concerns that we as mentees might encounter. 

Being able to focus solely on research in the gap between academic semesters, surrounded by the strong culture of teamwork and innovation, I was able to learn even more than I had hoped would be possible. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been able to participate in this program, and hope to return to Stanford in the future to build on the positive impressions that were initiated this summer.

– Josiah Thule, Morehouse Mentee, Summer 2023

The Stanford REACH -HBMC program was such an amazing experience for me. I went into the program hoping to learn more about anesthesia from my mentor and possibly be a part of a publication. In the end, I was able to make relationships with not only my mentor and the REACH-HBMC staff, but within the Stanford Anesthesia Residency Program as well. 

Never before did I ever believe that Stanford was an attainable goal for my future residency; however, through the guidance of the REACH and Anesthesia residency staff, I not only believe that I could potentially continue my medical training at Stanford but I really want to do so. Everyone was so nice and welcoming to my colleagues and me. 

The REACH program made sure to provide the students with opportunities to not only do research but to explore other specialties in medicine. One of my favorite activities was the Thursday breakfasts with program directors. I was able to talk to so many amazing doctors and get some shadowing opportunities. 

The Thursday breakfast didn't include the anesthesia residency so I reached out to [Executive Director of PRESENCE] Sonoo Thadaney Israni, asking if she could connect me with anyone from anesthesia: she immediately helped me get in touch with the residency program. Through that, we were able to organize a meet and greet with our school’s Anesthesia Interest Group, and write an abstract with the residency program on increasing diversity in anesthesia that we will be presenting at the 2023 American Society of Anesthesiologists meeting.

Dr. Creed Stary has been such an amazing mentor: we still regularly keep in contact even though it's been a year since I finished the REACH program. I came into Dr. Stary's lab excited to work and with the goal of publishing my first paper. I told him that and he helped me find a path to doing so. In the end, I published two papers with him, and I improved upon my technical, protocol writing, and notetaking skills through the various projects that I worked on. 

I was also able to present a poster at the 2023 International Anesthesia Research Society symposium in Denver this past April. That was such an amazing opportunity where I got to present to so many anesthesiologists and made new connections. I recently reached out to Dr. Stary to explain how I want to learn how to write a paper from scratch, so he assigned me to a review paper with Elijah so we can both experience writing a research paper and going through the review process. I am super excited to build upon those skills.

All in all, I always describe the REACH-HBMC program as the gift that just keeps on giving. I not only got the chance to experience Stanford and do research there, but I met so many people that are so happy to help me reach my professional and personal goals. The opportunities that I have gotten this past year wouldn't have happened without the amazing staff of the REACH-HBMC program, Dr. Stary, and the Stanford Anesthesia Residency Program. 

Stanford really put in the effort to make me feel welcomed, and I am hoping that I can return for the SCORE away program this year and hopefully residency during the Match 2025 cycle.

– Majesty Greer, Howard Mentee, Summer 2023