patients, on top of social determinants of health. I aspire to use my education and personal values to help reduce these challenges, and I would like to provide an efficient continuity of care with my future patients. Staying Grounded A few ways that I stay grounded and motivated during medical school include listening to music, meditating and planning social outings with Noorda friends. Throughout this process, I stay connected to myself through a weekly wellness check-in with NoordaCOM and by communicating with family and others in my support system. Advice for Aspiring Physicians My advice for students looking to pursue medical school is to stay focused and not let challenges deter them from their end goal of becoming a physician. The path to medical school and the daily schedule of a medical student is NOT an easy one, but it is doable as long as you stay determined. Remember that hardships experienced along the way will only make you stronger! RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT Vickie Armstrong, MD Let’s start from the beginning: tell us a bit about yourself. I grew up in Woodburn, Indiana, a small town in northeast Indiana just outside of Fort Wayne. I was adopted at a young age and grew up with four other siblings who were also adopted. As a kid, I was often outside climbing trees and playing in the creek with my two older brothers. As an older child and teen, I was very active in sports and played soccer, basketball and ran track nearly year-round. I then stayed in Indiana for college and medical school (nothing beats in-state tuition!). I also studied abroad in New Zealand, which kick-started my love for the mountains, eventually influencing my decision to look out west for residency. Now, I am still quite active and enjoy nearly any activity that involves moving and being outside, like hiking, biking, running and paddleboarding. I still play soccer and have been lucky enough to meet great friends through it. Nearly my entire family is still back in Indiana though, so I fly back as often as my schedule and bank account allow. Was there a specific moment or experience that solidified your decision to pursue medicine? I started college as an exploratory studies major (essentially undecided), and we were required to shadow a few professionals as part of the program. I ended up shadowing a family medicine doctor who was a family doctor in Eastern Europe and then came over here and repeated everything (exams, residency) to practice in the U.S. I was so impressed with her quick thinking, her relationships with her community and how many people’s stories she could witness and play a positive role in. Plus, if she could do all that is required to be a doctor twice, I could certainly do it once. In addition, I was adopted by my mom when she was much older than my friends’ parents, so I was frequently exposed to medicine from the patient side as she aged and accumulated health problems. In the end, the trust and respect she shared with her family doctor played a significant role in my decision to commit to family medicine. 27
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