Aubrey Ingram, OMS II at Midwestern University - AZCOM, Awarded $7,500 Founders' Scholarship
March 4, 2020
Aubrey Ingram is a second year medical student at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) of Midwestern University. Student Doctor Ingram matriculated to medical school directly from her undergraduate studies at Grand Canyon University. There, she completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor study in Dance Performance. Now at AZCOM, Aubrey serves as the Student Government Association President, as well as the Arizona Student Delegate for the American Osteopathic Association's House of Delegates, Council Member for the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents and member of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association's Legislative Affairs Committee. As a born and raised Phoenician, she is proud to remain in Arizona for her medical education and hopes to serve Arizonans as a physician in the near future.
Where do you consider home to be?
My home is Arizona. I was born in Flagstaff and shortly after my family relocated to the West Valley of Phoenix. I stayed in Phoenix to attend the Grand Canyon University for my undergraduate studies in Biology and Dance. My career in dance prior to medical school allowed me the opportunity to work all throughout the state, including the great city of Tucson.
What do you love about Arizona?
What I love most about Arizona is the familial community set in place throughout the state. I am not sure if it is the beautiful landscape, the warm weather or the colorful sunsets, but growing up here I have always felt accepted, guided and a part of something bigger than myself. Oh, and the plethora of delicious Mexican food is pretty great too!
What is your favorite thing to do in your (very limited!) free time?
I enjoy spending time with my family, baking, doing Pilates & Yoga as well as exploring new coffee shops in the Phoenix area.
How did you discover you wanted a career in medicine?
It was actually through my career in dance that I discovered my passion for medicine. Growing up in ballet, I accumulated multiple injuries that led me to meet health care providers who inspired me to pursue medicine. Their translation of the intricacies of science into personalized, holistic care motivated me to explore a field outside of dance.
Who has been the most influential person in your life throughout your journey as a medical student?
Shannon Scott, DO has been my greatest inspiration throughout medical school. Her ability to balance her roles as clinician, assistant dean and leader in organized medicine, as well as balance in her personal life, models every goal I hope to reach as a woman in osteopathic medicine someday.
Which specialty do you plan to practice?
My goal is to practice Emergency Medicine someday.
Tell us about a typical day in the life of a medical student.
I try to start my days around 6:00 am with preparation for our upcoming board examinations. My mid-morning is full of meetings, emails and other preparations for my role as Student Government President at AZCOM. After lunch, it's back to the books as I prepare for any upcoming school exams. In the evenings, I take a break to exercise and eat dinner. By 10pm, I am preparing for the next day and off to bed. Somedays are busier than others whether it is due to travelling for conferences, planning events on campus or "adult-ing", but I always try to take Sundays to spend time with my church, friends and family.
What is the most interesting thing you've discovered so far in your medical training?
What I have found most interesting in medical school thus far was through my role as Student Government President. In this position, I was given the opportunity to join other branches of organized medicine and found that I am very passionate about medical education and the advancements of medicine. I hope to remain involved in roles such as these so I can be a part of best preparing a new generation student doctors for their careers in medicine.
What excites you about becoming a physician?
I am most excited for the daily humanistic interactions that I will have as a physician. Especially in Emergency Medicine, the team-based approach to care allows me to impact and be impacted by not only my patients, but those that I work with. I believe osteopathic education has prepared me very much so for this and I cannot wait to surpass the days of endless studying so I can apply this knowledge into personalized care.
What led you to pursue osteopathic medicine as opposed to allopathic medicine?
Throughout undergrad, I worked as a Scribe in Emergency Departments across Phoenix. It was during this time that I was able to witness the workings of physicians. Though I gained so much from every provider I worked with, there was always something different about the DO's. The amount of time they spent at the bedside, the hands on manipulation they were able to offer patients, and the thought process to not only treat the patient's disease, but to also ensure wellness, resonated well with me and that is the reason I chose to pursue osteopathic medicine.
What do you think the future of medicine looks like?
I could not be more excited for the future of medicine. There have been many changes to medical education over the past few years, including the introduction of the new single-accreditation system, and I believe these evolutions will allow for the growth and infectious nature of osteopathic medicine to spread further. Every patient deserves care built on osteopathic tenets and I cannot wait for these principles to permeate into all of healthcare. The hard work set forth by peers at AZCOM and colleagues in leadership allow me to be assured that this will all come to fruition very shortly.
Part of the TOMF mission is to provide high-quality Continuing Medical Education to medical professionals in Southern Arizona. We would like to know how you learn best so that we can provide effective and engaging CME to your generation of osteopathic physicians. Which of the following provides the best learning experience in your opinion?
I learn best in a team-based collaboration application style learning, and I believe that much can be learned from working in a team. However, I understand the difficulties of joining teams in person. If this could be offered in an online learning approach, I think it would be much appreciated.