Although she grew up in a family of medical professionals, Judy Genshaft Honors College alum Zainab Farooq never expected to pursue a career in medicine. Initially drawn to the arts, writing, and teaching, Farooq discovered an interest in medicine after shadowing a local gastroenterologist in high school. Now, as she enters her second year at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, she is pursuing a career she once never imagined for herself while recognizing the importance of the support system that has helped her along the way.
When did you realize medicine was the right career path for you, and what influenced that decision?
Many things influenced my decision, mainly because I thought I wasn’t going to do anything medical in my career. I was very into the arts, unlike my family. I come from a family of people in medicine, which is such a blessing, but I just didn’t have an inclination toward medicine at first. I thought about journalism, writing, or something in the arts, and I definitely thought of teaching because I’ve always loved teaching.
When I was in high school, my parents said, “Well, why not just shadow?” So, I worked in a nephrology clinic and shadowed a local gastroenterologist, and he was a family friend. I ended up enjoying that and my clinical work much more than I expected. For me, it was just like, “I’m going to do it just for the sake of doing it so that I can cross this off of my list.” When I went and found myself enjoying those things, I was shocked but still not super set in a decision. Regardless, I knew that USF was very good for pre-med students, so I applied.
When I was accepted to USF and the Honors College, I ended up enriching myself with more experiences and eventually solidified that this was what I wanted to pursue. Somehow along the way, I still thought that I wasn’t going to do medicine, but I found myself enjoying medicine more and more. Everything just flowed so naturally, and it really felt like my choice. I never had a moment that I knew this was my path, but I ended up doing it, and thank God I’m here!
What has your experience been like as a medical student at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine?
Any and all medical schools are going to be difficult, but it’s been good so far. What mattered to me the most was having a solid support system in my family, friends, partners, or whoever is in my life, and I think that a support system can get you through any program. My experience has been good primarily because I loved how close Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine was to Tampa because I’ve always loved Tampa. Bradenton, where it is located, is the perfect distance from the city and so beautiful.
The setup of LECOM I enjoy, and the classes are small and structured for group learning where we sit with an attending. It’s unique that it’s very interactive and hands-on, which is why I chose it.
What has been the biggest challenge you've faced in medical school, and what has helped you overcome it?
On the first week of medical school, my advisor gave me this advice: the content in medical school and in life is never going to be your enemy, time is. That resonated with me so much. Getting into medical school is a testament to the fact that you can do hard things if you put your mind to it.
No matter how much you want to accomplish, time is so limited. You want to give time to yourself, family, the content, and if you think about some of the most difficult exams that you’ve ever taken, you think about how much better you could have done with more time to study — not that the concepts were too hard to ever grasp. Yes, the content is difficult, but everything is doable with time. Learning how to manage your time appropriately is very valuable.
What are your plans after graduating from medical school?
At the end of this month, I’ll be applying for residency for internal medicine. The two main interests I have at this point are gastroenterology, which is a three-year fellowship after three years of residency, or sports medicine. I’m very passionate about colon cancer and screening, but right now, I’m interested in all of these fields.
What advice would you give Honors students who are considering a career in healthcare?
I would say, in the least pessimistic way possible, be mindful of what you’re getting yourself into. It’s a long path, whether it’s physician assistant school, medical school, or pharmacy school. It can be a long path that’s very challenging, but if you’re aware of what you’re getting yourself into and you want it in spite of that, then there isn’t much that can really stop you from doing it.
I don’t think it’s impossible for anyone to pursue a career in healthcare. It’s absolutely possible — you just have to look in the right places and take advantage of opportunities because they are truly everywhere here.