NAMME Conference 2016: The Day I Found My Hero

So yesterday I was fortunate enough to attend my first conference and it seriously helped me put everything that I want out of life into perspective. There were over a dozen medical and other professional schools there such as Yale, NYU, Georgetown, and my very own VCU. I scored tons of free pens, notepads, and adorable scrub top hand sanitizers.  I could go on all day about this, but I’m not because that’s not what important. The keynote speaker, Dr. Morris-Priester spoke to us about the keys to success.

 

I’m not gonna lie, I looked at the title of her presentation and thought she was going to preach about how to come back from lackluster grades and still make it to med school. Boy was I wrong, Dr. Morris-Priester went into her unusual path to medicine; she went through her Journey to Medicine with FIVE kids. Yes, five. So, that’s rigorous medical prerequisites, working a full time job and studying for the MCAT all while raising five kids by herself.

For someone who was counted out by the time she had her first kid at the age of 16, Dr. Morris-Priester took the ultimate leap of faith by applying to Yale and successfully making it through. She mentioned that she was “…never the smartest person in the class, but she did make the best grades… there’s a difference”. That difference is hard work and determination. That tidbit changed my life and by the time she was through I had already claimed her as my hero.

*wipes tears*

 

Dr. Morris-Priester left us with this:

 

Here are some more pictures from the day:

The pants are from H&M of course

These hand sanitizers are so cute, they needed a close-up.

Sidenote:

Dr. Morris-Priester told us that her mother would send Oprah every article that she was featured in up until her death which was several days before Dr. Morris-Priester’s graduation.  She said that was her way of knowing that her mother was with her as she prepared to walk across the stage. Here she is, just weeks from graduation finally making an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show, give it a look.