Meet Samantha Cox, a new M1 student in our HIV Enhanced Medical Education Track!
Tell us a little about yourself
I moved to Omaha with my family from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, when I was in elementary school and attended high school at Duchesne Academy. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in French and Biology at College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University in Minnesota. Shortly after graduating from university, I decided to pursue a career in medicine and began taking pre-requisite courses at UNO while working as a medical scribe in the Nebraska Medicine Emergency Department. I completed a Master’s degree in Medical Anatomy from UNMC before beginning medical school this past fall.
Why did you decide to come to medical school at UNMC?
I chose to come to UNMC for medical school largely thanks to the physicians I worked with in the Emergency Department – their willingness to teach me and give me a glimpse into the world of medicine showed me what a great place UNMC would be to continue learning from amazing faculty from all departments and specialties. This was reaffirmed by the professors I interacted with while completing my Master’s degree. The moment I found out I was accepted into UNMC, I knew exactly where I would be for the next four years. I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship and encouragement I’ve already received and for the friendships I have made with my peers during my first year of medical school.
Could you tell us more about the HIV EMET program? What drew you to it?
Broadly, the EMET programs are an opportunity for medical students to pursue an area of interest in more depth than is covered in the standard curriculum and to receive invaluable mentorship from the faculty members who are in charge of each program. The Comprehensive HIV EMET will allow me to learn more about the care of patients living with HIV over the course of almost 4 years through a longitudinal project, clinical experience, and faculty guidance. My initial interest in HIV was sparked when I began volunteering at the Nebraska AIDS Project (NAP) when I moved back to Omaha; my interest grew after learning more about HIV and meeting the incredible HIV physicians this past fall. It became evident that I could approach the topic from the perspective of women’s issues, biomedical research, socioeconomic determinants of health, LGBTQ issues, public health, medical history, health policy, and so on and so forth! No matter what field of medicine I pursue, I will care for and interact with patients with HIV. I am excited to continue learning about and being an advocate for HIV patients through this EMET.
What is something you enjoy outside of medicine?
I enjoy getting outside as much as I can especially now that the weather is getting nicer. I worked at summer camps for about a decade before medical school and still enjoy getting out to lead a high ropes course whenever I can. I love traveling and learning about the cultures and wildlife in different areas of the world – I am going to Australia this summer and am indescribably excited to see the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest.
We wish Samantha the best of luck over the next several years during his journey with us as part of the HIV EMET! More information about the EMET program can be found here.