On Abstaining from Alcohol
Bruin P., M2
I feel confident in my lifelong decision to abstain from drinking — largely influenced by understanding my own personality and family history — and have never felt held back from social events because of it. No matter your rationale, I promise that you will find your amazing WashU School of Medicine classmates to be very supportive and mature. My biggest advice is to not feel daunted about making your own choices! You will not be alone. Just remember to focus on being together and enjoying each other’s company rather than passing judgment. Whether it’s post-exam partying, weekend clubbing, or late-night kicking back with friends, bonding with your classmates will be a major highlight of the first year.
On Being Asian
Mimi G., M1
Like many other students of color coming from hometowns with rich cultural diversity, I too had my doubts about moving to the Midwest away from familiar cuisines, languages, and architecture. I recall expressing these concerns during my WashU School of Medicine interview, to which my interviewer explained how St. Louis actually has a significant refugee population, especially a Vietnamese one. To be completely honest, besides my M2 big sibling, I have not met other Southeast Asian students here, and I am the only one in my class. Though I now find myself in the minority here, I do not feel alone. I am blessed with a large and diverse class with many of my new friends coming from all kinds of different backgrounds. This has allowed for ample opportunity to broaden my perspective, gain insight, and connect to others. Though not strictly Vietnamese, there is a large Asian community here! I’ve been able to join the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), which brings together the student Asian community here, and we’ve been able to celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival (with mooncakes!), Diwali, and coming up next: Lunar New Year! Additionally, there are so many classmates here that share similar interests with me. We have had anime watch parties, streamed the recent BTS concert at Farrell Learning and Teaching Center (FLTC), and more. And what’s surprised me is that I’ve met plenty of people who also love Vietnamese food, so we end up exploring nearby restaurants like Little Saigon Cafe, Mai Lee, and Pho Grand. Sure, there is so much I miss from home that I will not be able to replicate here in STL, but I’ve also gained an open-minded, supportive community with which to share my perspective, identity, hobbies, and experiences.
On Being Black
Ian M., M2
St. Louis is a city with a loaded history of racism, disparities based on race, and unequal access to opportunity for people of color (POC). WashU is an institution that is cognizant of their contribution to these harsh realities, and is invested in addressing these issues in the WashU community, as well as in the Missouri communities surrounding us. As a Black student, I feel immensely supported by Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and community organizations for POC, and know that my hopes for the betterment of POC in medicine and society are also a priority of theirs. Additionally, being in St. Louis, which has a vibrant POC community, has allowed me to interact with more POC organizations, communities, and individuals than I’ve ever had the opportunity to anywhere else I’ve lived. I feel empowered here, and I know that the fight for equality for POC is also being fought by my peers, educators, and mentors.
On Being Hispanic/Latin@
Priscilla C., M1
As someone from an immigrant family, I was admittedly a bit concerned that I would not feel as comfortable in St. Louis as I did in the melting-pot East Coast cities I was used to. I was used to being able to get my cultural kitchen staples at most supermarkets and eating at Latin restaurants of all nationalities, and I feared losing those conveniences. However, I was very happy to be proven wrong very quickly upon arriving at St. Louis.
Despite the city’s demographics, there are several international marts and Latin restaurants in the area. Imagine my joy when I realized that there was even an authentic restaurant from my tiny Central American country only 10 minutes from the Central West End! (Shoutout to Fritanga STL, it’s one of the best restaurants in the city in my opinion.)
The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI), Student National Medical Association (SNMA), and Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) do a great job of making minority students feel comfortable and connected at WashU School of Medicine specifically, creating a rich support system. There are also so many opportunities to get involved with the Latin community in the area, including both clinical and non-clinical service work and our very own MedSpan curriculum.
Thankfully, all of these things allowed me to settle in very quickly, and the city is already starting to feel like my new home. <3
On Being LGBTQ+
Alberto S., M1
As someone who had never ventured into the Midwest, I was, in all honesty, a bit worried about what it would be like to be LGBTQ+ in St Louis. But to my most pleasant delight, WashU and St. Louis have felt incredibly warm and welcoming. Our class has a beautifully strong and diverse LGBTQ+ presence that fosters a sense of community. The student group LGBTQMed has been around for a long time and has partnerships with the faculty group OUTMed and the school administration. Every year they host small dinner parties with faculty, offering a chance to find mentors within the school. If you are more interested in the scholarly work and advocacy, there is a strong interdisciplinary network across campuses, lunch talks hosted during the year, and a center on campus with a team of physicians from different specialties who serve the transgender or gender diverse population, just to name a few of the opportunities. On top of this, the city of St. Louis itself also has a pretty robust community of people with diversity of genders, sexual orientation and expression — historically located in The Grove just south of campus (with some great drag shows and clubs to visit when COVID isn’t an issue). Of course, like everywhere, there is work to be done — but there is also a strong and tight-knit community of people who are here to support you.
On Being South Asian
Aravinda G., M2
Having both grown up and gone to college in St. Louis, I can tell you there are an abundance of opportunities to celebrate your South Asian heritage within the area. First, there are cultural events put on by both Saint Louis University and WashU’s undergrad campuses, which are open to all students. These include celebrations for Holi, Diwali, Navaratri, Onam, and many more. There are also cultural showcases put on by both universities where cultural dance (Garba/Bhangra/Raas/South), garb, and food is shared with the community.
In terms of restaurants, there are plenty of opportunities to sample South Asian cuisine in the area. The closest restaurant would probably be Rasoi. It is in the Central West End, so one could argue it is within walking distance. There is also an abundance of international grocery stores nearby, such as Seema, Ambica Foods, and Bombay Bazaar if you are looking for ingredients or snacks.
Finally, the biggest thing we love to do is share our culture with other classmates. I’m glad to have classmates with whom I can dance, discuss Bollywood movies, and even enjoy South Asian cuisine!
On Disability/Chronic Illness
Anonymous
As someone living with multiple chronic illnesses/disabilities, it was really important for me to go to a medical school/grad school that had good health-care coverage and the flexibility to work with students needing accommodations. The medical coverage here is phenomenal — everyone at Student Health is super friendly, there is essentially no wait time for appointments (you can get in and out within minutes!), Dr. Winters is always available after hours via email if any urgent matters arise, anything done at Student Health (blood work, tests, etc.) is fully covered, and most specialists within the WashU network are covered with only a $20 copay. Dr. Winters is wonderful at coordinating care with all my providers, and helped me establish a medical team to manage my multiple, chronic medical conditions (diagnosed both prior to and during my time at WashU). Dean Moscoso is a true advocate for students needing accommodations — she arranged for me to get testing accommodations for a medical condition I had before medical school, advocated for me to be tested for a learning disability (which resulted in a learning disability diagnosis) after some academic difficulties during the first semester of medical school, helped me get a second set of accommodations for the learning disability, and also guided me through the enormous task of applying for accommodations for Step 1. Finally, the student group Science and Healthcare Abilities Coalition (SHAC) supports chronically ill/disabled medical students and allies and works to improve health care for disabled people. Becoming doctors (unfortunately) does not make us immune to chronic conditions or disabilities, but I can confidently say that WashU School of Medicine is able to handle any and every situation that might come your way!