AJ Chowdhury, MD Candidate
Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Manassas, Virginia
Specialties Interested In: Urology, Orthopedics, General Surgery
Ethnicity: Bangladeshi
Favorite Ethnic Dish: Biryani
How does your Asian American identity influence your approach to medicine?
The training process in medicine overwhelmingly selects for people who are altruistic and willing to help others from all walks of life unconditionally. Growing up as a first-generation immigrant from Bangladesh in the US, I have spent most of my life interacting with people who have vastly different roots and lives than me.
Because of the inherent diversity in my life as an immigrant, my Asian heritage has engrained in me the importance of understanding and reflecting on people's identities. It has instilled patience in me as I work to help people who I must learn more about before I empathize with them. As a physician, I want to make sure my patients know that I hear and understand their stories as I care for them.
Angeline Best, MD Candidate
Graduation Year: 2023
Hometown: Sioux City, IA
Specialties Interested In: OB-GYN, psychiatry
Ethnicity: Vietnamese
Favorite Ethnic Dish: bun thit nuong cha gio
How does your Asian American identity influence your approach to medicine?
Growing up in an immigrant household, I became acutely aware of the duality of my identity - one side was the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, and the other was an American citizen that lived in a predominantly white community. It wasn't until I learned to celebrate both sides of my identity that I was able to embrace the power that diversity holds. Similarly, patients are never just their illness or chief complaint. They carry their background, their culture, their life experiences, and much more with them into the exam room. As a future provider, I strive to accept my patients where they are at and show them that not only are they welcome, but they also belong.
Lela Fossett, PA Student
Click here to read how heritage influenced Lela Fossett’s career decision
Anuradha Gore, MD Candidate
Graduation Year: 2024
Click here to read how Anuradha is working to increase understanding of the AAPI community and breaking stigmas.