With the White Coat Ceremony drawing near, each incoming medical student has the same end goal: to graduate. But the path they took to get to medical school is often unique and individual. For Kewanee, Illinois-native Tyler Gibson, the route he took was anything but traditional.

Prior to enrollment in the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Gibson spent nearly a decade operating his own cleaning business. While it was a worthwhile experience, he says it didn’t feel like his true calling.

Now, after receiving his B.S. in Health and Human Physiology from the University of Iowa, Gibson has found both new ambitions and the place he’d like to pursue them.

"I've always dreamed about a career in medicine, but actually having the chance to become a doctor seemed so far out of reach initially," says Gibson. "But after I got my bachelor's degree, I really felt like it was realistic. Since Carver has the great reputation it does, I knew it was where I would find the right environment to help me continue moving forward."

Unique opportunities

After hearing story after story about UI Health Care solving patient problems that others couldn’t, Gibson says in his mind there was nowhere better  to continue his education.

“It was my automatic first choice because it’s really just the gold-standard,” says Gibson. “You have such a unique opportunity to have a full medical center combined with the university.”

Gibson also notes that, in addition to the academic opportunities, students at Carver have the capacity to continue their education in an environment that’s supportive, team-oriented, and community-focused.

“The culture of Carver and really the whole university is so collaborative,” says Gibson. “There’s fantastic comradery, support, and cutting-edge research all at the same time. It’s just the right fit for me.”

Moving forward

Despite Gibson’s indirect route to Carver, there’s no doubt his passion for medicine runs deep.

“I’m getting the chance to spend four years digging deep and really learning things about the body to a level that I never dreamed and then being able to take that knowledge and apply it to a real-world setting, that’s what I’m most excited about,” says Gibson.

While he’s unsure on a specialty, he says he knows attending Carver is the right decision for him.

"I'm trying to keep an open mind about specialties because I know when I came into undergrad, my mind was completely opened to things I never even imagined. I know the same thing will happen in medical school,” says Gibson. "Whatever route I choose, there is no doubt in my mind that Carver is the best place I could be."