As a first-generation immigrant, the first in my family to graduate from college, and now the first to pursue medicine, my path has been anything but traditional.
For surgical trainees, an outside perspective helps clarify the true nature of a specialty. It can offer insight into what life is like as a thoracic surgeon beyond a single institution, city, or state.
The application/interview season was stressful. I was reminded of a saying from my years as a competitive swimmer: “Stay in your own lane and focus on your race.”
A resident recalls observing a master surgeon working in perfect concert with his team—and taking away lessons to apply to his own training and career.
