To Be...A Spartan MD

“Why did you choose medicine?” I get that a lot. In fact, these may be words that medical students and doctors hear the most. Well, maybe second only to “I was googling my symptoms and I think I may have...” I mentioned in one my previous posts that I grew up in a rural farm town in Northern California before being admitted to the College of Human Medicine . Yup, California is more than sandy beaches and a coastline. Growing up surrounded by farms meant that I was able to see the fruits ripen and flowers blossom all around me. Kiwi and strawberries in the winter/spring, peaches and plums in summer, and grapes, almonds, and walnuts in the fall. If you are a fan of the Mediterranean diet, this is the place to be. I watched as the farm workers pulled ripe fruit off trees, one by one. Many wore hats to protect themselves from sun exposure, with no air conditioning in their immediate future. Sweat dripping down their faces and clothes full of dirt, they climbed ladders trying to...