Rahul Mannan
1. What made you want to get your MD degree at WVU? Did your brother being a School of Medicine graduate have any impact on your decision?
I am born and raised in West Virginia and it holds a strong my part in my life. Through the influence of my brother I knew I wanted to get my education here. He always talked about how great the physicians are here at WVU. He had a good experience in medical school and it is serving him well as a resident now.
2. What made the program so appealing?
Being close to home was important for me. I was also established in Morgantown through my undergraduate studies. I already had a solid group of peers and the faculty was nice and welcoming. I think the program here at the WVU is extremely well rounded and has many opportunities for all types of medicine.
3. What is your favorite part of the program?
I like how interactive the program is. I also like how approachable the professors are and the state of the art equipment that is at WVU. There is a high level of academics here and the faculty is well known across the nation.
4. What makes the Morgantown campus unique from the others?
I wanted to be as close to Ruby Memorial as possible since it is one of the biggest hospitals in the state. I also really like the Morgantown area. I felt that Charleston was a little too close to home and that the Eastern Campus was too small for me. I like being here in the center of everything.
5. What made you want to become a doctor?
At a young age I admired the work of doctors. I could not think of a more fulfilling job. I wanted to make sure I had a career that challenged me and pushed me to always improve as a person. I wanted to be able to lay down each night knowing I had done something that day that positively affected people's lives.
6. How do you balance your home, school, and social life?
I put priority on school before I do my social life. When I feel that I have conquered school then my social life comes. I am a very social person and need to interact with my friends and family every day. I have learned that getting through the information is the most important thing, but I need to de-stress as well.
7. How has being an Eagle Scout helped you in medical school?
Becoming an Eagle Scout took 7 years and a lot of discipline. I learned about the value of leadership and wilderness medicine. Being on a team and holding numerous leadership positions was beneficial to pushing me to be a better communicator. There is also a lot of community service in scouting and it made me realize the importance of giving back to the community.
8. What do you think about the school's community service requirements?
I think that the requirement is necessary. Students have to realize the position in society that we will hold and how much we can affect the community in a positive way. It establishes us to do those things early on. Not many people have the ability to give back in that way.
9. What do you think of the week long orientation before classes started?
It was an informative week. It is nerve wracking hearing from the dean's about how disciplined you will need to be to keep going. But they were right. It was also reassuring to see so many familiar faces with my classmates.
10. What are your goals after graduating?
My number one goal is to match. After that it is to find a place that I feel fits perfectly for me. I have a lot of places I want to see across the world, so that will be a big goal. From there, I just want to improve as a physician and as a person.
11. What is your favorite thing to do outside of school?
I like to exercise and workout. I love to play all types of sports and I am big into music. Also, hanging out with friends and relaxing.
12. Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about medical school?
My advice is to make sure that you are in love with medicine. Come in ready and prepared. Know that this is a rewarding profession. Make sure to keep your social life alive during school and do things that make you happy. Also know that it is possible and is not as scary as everyone makes it out to be. You just have to want it and you have to be disciplined.
- Interviewed as an M1 student in March 2016