Heritage College Class of 2024 Graduate Profile: Ashleigh Chiedo

遗产学院骨科医学班2024届毕业生Ashleigh Chiedo出生于扬克斯, New York but raised in Jacksonville, 佛罗里达. 她在佛罗里达州立大学获得运动生理学学士学位，后来在阿拉巴马大学完成了生物医学和健康科学硕士学位, 伯明翰. She will be doing a family medicine residency at Emory University in Atlanta.

你的童年是怎样的? 谁是你的灵感来源? 有没有什么重要的事情让你走到这一步?

My childhood was instrumental in creating the person I am today. Both my parents were born and raised in Nigeria and came to the U.S. in search of creating a life with limitless opportunities. My inspirations are my family members. Being the oldest of four children, I have been molded by those closest to me. However, [my inspirations] also include mentors I met along the way. Having parents working in health care, I was always more inclined to follow suit, 但是当我的父亲在我从小学升入高中的过渡期生病时，我的命运就注定了. 从那时起，我就知道，通过我提供的护理服务他人将成为我的一部分. 

是什么让你上医学院的?

I held a number of jobs in health care from medical scribe, surgical technician and medical assistant in between the degrees I completed. Through those experiences I witnessed gaps in care, I was an ally when health disparities were present, and I admired leadership that looked beyond and saw the bigger picture. 我很快意识到，我不仅想在医疗保健行业工作，还想成为一名领导者. Leaders are not merely born, they are created. 我相信我所面临的困难和挑战使我能够很好地胜任未来的领导角色, and I knew medical school was an essential part of that journey. 

What was the most impactful experience you had while in medical school?

我在医学院最有影响力的经历是在我担任社区外展学生主任期间. I wanted to leave a legacy that would help propel our community forward. 我起草了一份公共服务日的蓝图，并与克利夫兰和newbb电子的同行以及学校领导分享了这个蓝图. 然后我开始协调如何创造一个机会，我们将启动全国骨科医学周，让所有三个校区的学生志愿服务并回馈当地社区. 我们能够建立面对面的接触，以及罐头食品驱动器，所有这些都是为了表达对我们正在培训的地区的感激之情. We successfully executed this wonderful act, 第二年，它的蓝图被用来使它成为一项全国性的倡议，现在所有的骨科医学院每年都颁布这项倡议. 这个国家的传统已经延续了两年，我的贡献使它成为可能, and for that it is my most impactful experience!

What was the most important lesson you learned while in medical school?

“如果你想走得快，就一个人走. If you want to go far, go together.” Medicine and leadership hinges on teamwork. It is important to learn how to best conduct yourself in team environments, 因为你可以取得更多的成就，不仅有帮助，还有丰富你的努力的想法和背景的多样性. 作为医学生，我们都是成就斐然的人，但没有人不具备协作和团队精神. 

你参与过研究吗? If so, could you share more about what you worked on?

I have been heavily involved in research. 我在医学院一年级和二年级之间完成了梅奥诊所的暑期研究奖学金. 在此期间, I worked on a project with Astra Zeneca, 一家大型制药公司, 了解肺动脉高压的复杂性及其对人体组织的影响这样我们就能更好地研制出针对疾病进展的药物. 我继续为梅奥诊所网络的另一个项目提交了一篇论文，该项目研究了女性激素如何影响呼吸系统疾病患者的支气管平滑肌细胞. 我最近的一篇论文是与阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校的一个传染病研究小组合作发表的. 该项目解决了艾滋病对南方有色人种的不成比例影响. 这个项目的目的是在当地的高中创建项目，不仅提供洞察力，而且赋予同样的人口在医疗保健领域寻找工作的能力，以努力改变未来的结果. 

What are you most excited about for your future?

我最兴奋的是成为一名家庭医生，并在学术界和领导层工作，解决我最热衷的事情. 能够在埃默里大学完成我的培训将使我在许多方面取得成功，同时使我能够与我渴望服务的人群一起工作. 我期待着成为一名导师，成为新一代医生中的一员，他们致力于通过尽可能广泛的培训来满足社区的需求. 我也是, 就我个人而言, 期待着在2024年6月结婚，成为妻子和未来的母亲. 家庭造就了现在的我，我迫不及待地想要建立一个强大的家庭! 

一路上谁帮助过你? Is there anyone you want to recognize?

Becoming a physician takes a village. I have a wonderful one which starts with my parents, Mark and Emilia Chiedo. I also have my wonderful siblings to thank: Brandon, Chelsea and Dylan Chiedo! My grandmother, Virginia, has also been very instrumental in my perseverance. 另外, 我要感谢我的未婚妻, 托马斯·艾尔, for his unwavering support from the time we met in 2016. 我很感激他的父母, 鲍勃和苏·爱, 他的兄弟姐妹, 丹和萨米, 还有他们养育我的大家庭，他们一直支持我的每一步. 

How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time I love to travel and see new parts of the world. 我也喜欢做饭，去看演出或音乐会，打高尔夫球，和我爱的人在一起! 

What didn’t I ask that you’d like to share?

我的临别赠言是，我敦促你“找到你的人”，“去你被颂扬的地方”, 不能容忍.“这两件事是导师们告诉我的，一直在提醒我. 前者指的是在你的职业和个人生活中，找到那些能让你变得更好的人, who see the good you want to do and are doing similar, and whose values align with your own. The latter refers to never settling. In life you will be faced with many choices, 但你永远不应该在做自己和成为别人希望你成为的人之间做出选择. 坚定地去寻找那些对你的存在和你的价值喜出望外的地方. 感谢u - hcom看到了我的价值，帮助我成长为一名崭露头角的医生. 去newbb电子平台!