Darren Brown
“I sensed from my interview day, and have confirmed it since living here, that the School of Medicine and Morgantown have a highly collaborative and down-to-earth atmosphere.”
Why did you decide to pursue a career in medicine?
I chose to pursue a career in medicine because it felt like the right fit for who I am and who I want to become. Those feelings largely came out of my time studying to become an EMT. I really enjoyed the medical field, both the intellectual sides of it and the opportunities it afforded to be hands-on. I also found that, as I gained more clinical experience, it was deeply meaningful to me to be involved in caring for patients. In that context, pursuing an education in medicine felt like the logical next step that would allow me to continue that effort and service throughout my life.
Why did you choose WVU for your medical education?
In choosing where I wanted to attend medical school, there were several factors that were important to me and made WVU stand out. One of my goals is to practice medicine in a rural location. Studying at WVU and living in West Virginia provides the perfect opportunity to be exposed to the unique needs and care of people living in rural, resource-limited areas.
The sense of community in the area and school was also important to me. I sensed from my interview day, and have confirmed it since living here, that the School of Medicine and Morgantown have a highly collaborative and down-to-earth atmosphere. The school’s values and mission are closely aligned with my own, making it a natural choice for my medical education.
How would you describe your experience at the WVU School of Medicine?
I’ve really enjoyed my medical school experience so far. It can certainly be a challenging experience at times between all the time spent studying and exams, but I feel like it is well-designed to help us succeed. The faculty here are supportive, and I have great classmates who collaborate and encourage one another. I also appreciate that the school implements ways for us to maintain our well-being. The curriculum has “block weekends” that allow dedicated time to recover and do the things we enjoy outside of studying.
Are there any subspecialties you are currently considering? If so, what interests you most about the field(s)?
I’m still trying to determine exactly what I want to do, but currently, orthopedic surgery and emergency medicine are two specialties that are piquing my interest. I feel like both would offer good variety, interesting work and allow me to feel like I am making a difference for patients. Hopefully as I begin rotating in the clinics, I can get a better feel for what specialty would be a good fit for me.
Tell me about your thoughts on receiving your white coat.
I’m looking forward to the ceremony and receiving my white coat. I’m grateful that WVU School of Medicine holds the ceremony after the second year of medical school. A lot of effort and study has gone into our education to this point, and I feel that this will enhance the moment for us. A lot of people have sacrificed to help me get where I am, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate and honor their sacrifices as well.
As exciting as it is to receive our white coats, I think it also reminds me that there are a lot of paths yet to traverse in our education. There is a lot to learn before I am ready to be fully responsible for the care of another human being.
What is next for you during your next two years of training? What do you want to accomplish over your final two years?
I’m excited as I look forward to these next few years and starting clinical rotations. I hope to utilize these two years to become the best doctor I can be. One such area I hope to continue to improve in is my ability to compassionately and effectively communicate with patients; that is such a critical facet to being a good doctor. I also plan to become more involved with research and have a better understanding of the research process.
What excites you about getting to do more clinical-based training?
The chances I’ve had in the pre-clinical years to be with patients have reminded me that they are the reason I’m here, so the opportunity to be in the clinics with patients every day is really exciting. I’m also looking forward to seeing the material that we have strived so hard to learn being applied in the clinics.
What advice would you have for prospective or incoming WVU SOM students?
The advice I would have for prospective or incoming WVU SOM students is to learn to manage your time well. Medical school is busy and can quickly become overwhelming if you’re not disciplined and do what you need to do. I would also add, though, that an important part of time management is also making time for the other important things in your life. It will likely not be as much time as you used to be able to dedicate, but taking time to be with family, friends, or doing hobbies, etc., is important to being able to perform well during study time.