Leticia Simo is a medical student at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in her fourth and final year of medical school. She keeps busy between clinical rotations with a variety of extracurricular activities. She also is a WSU learning coach, providing academic support to assist novice learners in navigating the structure, content, learning and assessment expectations of the School of Medicine curriculum. 

Question: Why did you choose Wayne State University for medical school?

Answer: I chose Wayne State University School of Medicine because of the school’s emphasis on student education within a culture of inclusion and local investment in the community. I wanted to learn in an environment that accepts differences and promotes tolerance and respect for each other, and where I knew I would receive all the support necessary to become an excellent patient-centered physician.

Q: What are some of your extracurricular activities?

A: I am a mentor for the Butterfly Project at the School of Medicine, American Medical Women’s Association National Mentorship Program and the Wayne State University campus-wide Pre-Medical Mentoring Program.

Q: What was the best part of your first year of medical school?

A: The best part of my first year of medical school was Gross Anatomy. When school first started, anatomy class was a subject of apprehension for me, as I was wondering how I would react when the time came to start dissecting a cadaver. Three months into medical school, I was handed my first patient. The first encounter was not easy, as I had a multitude of emotions running through me at the same time. However, after volunteering to make the first cut, everything started to move along. Spending time in the GA lab gave me a hands-on understanding of human anatomy, and has shown me how cool and intricate the human body is.

Q: What was the hardest part of beginning medical school?

A: The hardest part of beginning medical school was achieving balance. During my first month of medical school, I was hit with more than 50 lectures. On top of that, I had to learn and practice clinical skills with standardized patients, and I had several Zoom meetings to attend. This workload was something new to me, and saying goodbye to the free time I was used to was a big issue. In addition, maintaining simple good habits like exercise and proper diet was tough, as I was convinced that every minute not spent studying could be a big hit on my ability to keep up with the material. Fortunately, I had mentors and coaches assigned through the WSU School Medicine who helped me work through everything, and I went from barely passing a unit and not having a life to passing with grades higher than the cut off and taking on extracurricular activities. Now I have the time to sit on the board of two campus organizations, act as a mentor, cook what I want, exercise regularly and enjoy Korean dramas.