"Chasing for Connectedness" by MSIH first year blogger Aerin Philip


I say goodbye to 2017 with one of the biggest smiles of gratitude I have ever felt for a year in my life. I closed this year with some of my closest friends & family in Houston, Texas – loved ones who have watched me take every step of life – literal and figurative. We reminisced about the peaks and pits we faced in 2017, and my own consisted of large self-growth held within the daring move to begin medical school in Israel.

Team Scorpions after our Emergency Medicine summer course with our awesome TA Nitzan
In this year, a wildly imagined, consistently challenged, and unique career path has solidified and become reality.  I transitioned from Peace Corps wanting to continue working within the field of development, but feeling inspired by the allure of a physician’s potential in this field. I am seeking out my own version of humanitarianism through the avenue of medicine, searching for more answers of how health care can bridge divides between differing groups of people. MSIH’s strongest attraction is representing a blend between medicine and development, and I held on closely to my desire of being a student here throughout the application period. I am happy now to say that we are expanding on our own blended understanding (of medicine and development) continually with every global health coursework session more and more, reaffirming my decision to join this program. Here I am augmenting my practical knowledge and skills needed for becoming the globally-minded professional I hope to be, learning from a league of exciting scholars and experts in their respective fields of interest.

Roommates in front of the Wailing Wall on our class field trip to Jerusalem
The main source of my New Year’s Eve wide-grin however, comes from the people I am daily surrounded by at MSIH – my classmates. We are visionaries. We are passionate. We are risk-takers.  Here is a community of like-minded individuals who are not afraid to take a moment from their obligations to support a friend, or even a stranger, in a difficult time. Their energy is motivating and full, offering inspiration for whenever you may feel disheartened. And though we may all be chasing after similar leadership roles in medicine, we have our unique interests and quirks that we have been discovering over the past seven months and beyond. We support each other and are enthusiastic of what individuality we find amongst our class, encouraging every classmate to express their passions and stories. This is what separates our community from any other I have witnessed. The zeal to be different, and to accept difference, is a rarity in today’s world. Yet, I am able to find it here radiating within the classrooms and offices of MSIH. Our American, Canadian, German, Argentinean, French, South African, Australian, and Israeli identities have not
Josh and I with our beloved host staff member Amit during our class field trip to Jerusalem
defined us with limitations, but rather provides a stepping stone to portray an array of perspectives.  These differences, along with religion.ethnicity/gender/sexuality/disability (among others), are appreciated and not undervalued because we recognize the strength in diversity. I have strongly believed in development for this sense of cooperativity – a true commitment to building teamwork. MSIH provides an environment for us to continue striving for this cooperativity through committees, extracurricular activities, forums, and presentations. Our connectedness and diversity shines through these opportunities. This is where we can learn from each other, we can help each other, and more importantly, we can support each other to become a true force for global health. This is our family.




I was told once by someone very dear to me that ‘when friends become family, life becomes sweeter’. In short of these seven months, I have already begun to feel that the distinctive line between friends and family at MSIH have blurred and there is now a certain sweetness in the air of my experience. My enthusiasm to leave Texas comes with sadness, but also happiness to be back with our novel MSIH family. 
Yoni and I celebrating after the Physician's Oath Ceremony with our families

I say hello to 2018 with an eager mind and heart, ready to tackle the remaining 0.5 year of my first year in medical school. Most importantly, I look forward to the additional memories I will be making with this new family I have gained. To my new brothers and sisters, cheers for finishing out our first semester. I wish upon our new years that our shared energy and love never dies out, because it is truly our greatest strength. Hope you had a wonderful holiday time, and you are refreshed and ready for our next step in this journey together. I assuredly cannot wait to see you.

Cheers,
Aerin





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