Officially Student Dr. Lomo

Here’s to everything that’s gotten me to this moment in time right now… The good, the bad, and the ugly. The blood, the sweat, and the tears. The thousands of dollars I’ve poured into this dream when my family had nothing left to give me. The thousands of hours I’ve spent studying my a** off and dedicating my entire life to working in healthcare. The painful lessons I had to learn to get here. The dead-end jobs I made work to my advantage. The people who always believed in me, the ones who didn’t abandon me even in my darkest hours.

Here’s to everything that will get me through this point… the challenges I’ve yet to face. The behemoth of a broken academic and healthcare system that has chewed up and spat out so many well-meaning people before me. The long nights and weekends committing every aspect of the human body to my memory. The semesters and shifts that will feel like aeons. The friendly faces in my class that will become far more than just study buddies. The rigor of board exams and residency. The people in my life who CONTINUE to show up for me and be there every step of the way.

Here’s to NOW—the present moment. Here’s to the butterflies in my stomach that I can’t quite decide are from nervousness or excitement. The hope bubbling out of my heart like champagne at the opportunity to fulfill one of my lifelong dreams of becoming a physician. My partner who fearlessly stays by my side as we both work towards our long term goals. The friends celebrating with me saying, “I always knew you could do it!” The acquaintances that thought, “I never thought you’d actually get better.” Taking in the long road ahead slithering forward in time, winding and glistening before me.

In this moment, the wisest words I can find are these: Changing the world begins with changing yourself. Class of 2026, let’s get to work.