Rather slipping into a “senior slump,” I was able to take great advantage of the WISE/Senior Options program at Scarsdale High School. I was already strongly considering medicine as a career path, and decided my senior options would be best used as an opportunity to explore life as a physician. I am glad I did.

I enlisted the help of my friend’s father, Dr. George Zambetti, an orthopedic surgeon who works out of both Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan and a private practice in his hometown of Scarsdale, NY. I knew Dr. Zambetti to be an excellent physician (he is the Fordham University team physician), and I felt he would be an ideal choice as a mentor, given our relationship.

Over the course of our six weeks together, I learned a tremendous amount from Dr. Zambetti. While at the hospital, I attended rounds, grand rounds, and was even lucky enough to observe close to a dozen procedures in the Operating Room. Dr. Zambetti specializes in knees and shoulders, and as such I witnessed a number of arthroscopic ACL, torn menisci, and rotator cuff repairs. Being able to observe those types of procedures at such a young age was a truly eye opening and enlightening experience.

Moreover, I was fortunate to shadow Dr. Zambetti while examining patients in his office. It was an incredible introduction to the medical interview, a process that appears mundane to so many, yet is crucial in establishing the doctor-patient relationship and ensuring the foundation for proper care. I observed every facet of his bedside manner, from his nonverbal communication cues to the way he spoke to his patients. Given the amiable atmosphere in the room and the respect that his patients showed him, I feel I truly learned from the best.

I couldn’t have asked for a better initial exposure to clinical medicine. Any doubts I had prior to my experience were completely eliminated. By observing surgeries, attending grand rounds, studying doctor-patient interactions, and even commuting into Manhattan at 6 AM, I gained a full understanding of life as a physician. I thought I had even found my calling as an orthopedic surgeon (I am now strongly leaning toward Pediatrics). My WISE/Senior Options experience was educational, interesting, and enlightening, and it helped me to discover my overwhelming passion for medicine.

Oddly enough, my Senior Options led me to Med School in another way. Twenty Four of my fellow seniors and 6 chaperones (including my dad and mom) went to New Orleans for a week building a new home for a gentleman in nearby Waveland, Mississippi. I was fascinated by N’awlins, and as a result made sure I applied to Tulane Med School.

Five years after Senior Options I started there this August.