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Rachel Cook, M.D.
Program: Internal Medicine Residency, PGY-3, Mayo Clinic in
Rochester
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.
Medical School: Loyola University
What inspires you about medicine?
"I guess I'm still amazed by the amazing opportunity - that I can help people when they are most vulnerable. Also inspiring is that we as trainees are the ones who are going to make some of the most monumental changes for the future of medicine through research. We're given the chance not only to help individual patients, but also to change the lives of large numbers of people through scientific inquiry. It can be overwhelming, but empowering too."
What are your professional interests?
"I'm going to be doing a fellowship in oncology and hematology. For me, it is a field in which you can help patients who are sometimes in dire circumstances, and simultaneously there are such vast opportunities to change the course of medicine. There is a revolution going on in medicine with genomics and proteomics, and hematology/oncology is one of the most active areas in these fields."
Why did you choose Mayo Clinic for your residency?
"I wanted to see everything in medicine and at Mayo Clinic you rotate through all the subspecialties - I think this is unique to Mayo. I also appreciated that Mayo Clinic is a smoothly running health-care system. It has great support and efficiency so that as a resident, I can concentrate on practicing medicine."
Has anything surprised you about training at Mayo Clinic?
"I had assumed that since Mayo Clinic in Rochester was in an agricultural region of the Midwest, that patients would be very similar in background. But actually Rochester has a significant international population that is getting larger as immigrants from all over the world settle here. Currently, I get to care for many patients who are referred to Mayo from the Olmsted County Refugee Clinic. I had no idea that I was going to see patients with schistosomiasis and African sleeping sickness when I came here. It is a tremendous learning experience and also very rewarding - to help them better understand their health, to observe the ways in which they adapt to the local culture, and for me to learn about their lives. It has really been an eye-opening experience."
On Mayo Clinic's multidisciplinary model of patient care...
"Being able to be the primary caregiver for a patient, and having easy access to all the subspecialists means that patients get the best care and the most expert opinions, but there is still consistency in their main doctor. As a resident, I often end up learning about an unusual disease process with my patient, but it's not as if the subspecialists just come in and take over. Instead they provide the experience that I don't yet have while helping me or my team make the right recommendations so that I can do what's best for the patient."
What would you relate about Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education to those considering a residency program?
"I would really encourage them to come and see for themselves. I would also say that Mayo removes many obstacles that residents face: the staff is approachable and helpful, work/life issues are flexible, and the rotations assure you learn the basics with room to build upon. Working with people who are excited to come to work and teach residents is contagious. It's really just a great group of people to be around."
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