Hey guys! It's my favorite time of the month...Macademics time! This month, I decided to do a feature on my aunt, Dr. Nicole Price Swiner aka DocSwiner! She's a medical doctor and she's amazing. She has her own family medicine practice in North Carolina and a few books out. I thought it was important to showcase other branches of science so you guys get a broad idea of different paths you may want to go. See what she had to say below.
How/When did you know you wanted to go into STEM?
I knew probably in high school that I had an interest in science, math and caring for people in some way. I was doing well in school and babysat alot, so I and adults around me encouraged me to think about medicine as a way to combine my interests and become a doctor.
What was your journey like to become a doctor? Specifically, undergrad and medical school.
I attended Duke University for undergrad; Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) for med school; and then UNC-Chapel Hill for my family medicine residency.
Favorite and least favorite moments of your career?
Least favorite was almost failing my first year because of the struggle of learning to study and absorb massive amounts of info in a short amount of time. Fortunately, I was able to seek counseling on how to study based on my personality, buckle down, pray for strength and made it through. Best moment was probably the first time I delivered a baby on my own with the crying, happy family in the room. It was my ‘Ah-ha’moment; I’ve chosen the right career path.
Did you have a mentor? If so, what is the best piece of advice he/she gave you?
Yes, in high school, I was fortunate to work the front desk in a dentist’s office, and he was very supportive in allowing me to shadow him while seeing patients. It was my first glimpse, first-hand, of patient care and running a business.
For girls reading this post that want to become doctors, what is one thing you know now that you wished someone had told you before starting your journey?
Never quit! Even when your confidence is low, grades are low and nay-sayers tell you to quit. Don’t. Follow the steps I did with counseling, tutoring, prayer and planning and you can make it. Ask for help, when you need it.
If you have anymore questions for DocSwiner, follow her FB page @docswiner and maybe maybe a shirt or two.
See you all next week!
-The Chemist
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