Hey everyone, my name is Phil Koehler and I am a second year Biomedical Science Student at PCOM. I hope through my posts I convey the incredible experience I have had during my time at PCOM thus far. Essentially, like many of you, I consider myself a non-traditional student as I spent a couple years working in between undergrad and grad school. I decided on PCOM after committing to the process of improving as a healthcare provider, student, and medical school applicant.
After graduating from Lehigh University in 2008 I went to work in Manhattan for the world’s leading healthcare advertising company (CDM), working in the consulting division as a project manager. I learned about the business of science and was exposed to the world of pharmaceutical marketing. More importantly, I learned that I wanted to do something else with my career. After a year and a half I came across a position working as a Medical Assistant for an Anesthesiologist’s private practice in Brooklyn. My job mostly consisted of taking patient history and assisting in the OR during minor surgical procedures. Quickly I became energized by the feeling of helping others and confirmed that I wanted to continue on my dream of becoming a physician. After being accepted to the Biomed program I moved back home to the area and am now completing the second year in the research track of the program.
There are many things that I have enjoyed and gained from the program. One of the great advantages of the program is that it has been an opportunity for me to solely focus on my studies. As an undergrad I wrestled for a top 10 division I program, earned a music industry minor, and played in many small jazz/rock groups while studying biology. Undergrad was a great life experience, but I am not sure I ever realized my academic potential because I couldn’t focus my energy only on my studies. PCOM’s program has helped me commit to the process of learning and not just earning good grades. I have learned how to take my studying to the next level and focus on mastering one area of my life. I also learned to balance my personal life, as I got married in the middle of the first trimester. So far, my best word of advice would be to do your best to enjoy the process of learning and focus on improving as a healthcare provider and not just an applicant. There are many projects throughout the year that helped me do this. In MBM we completed a family tree of health history and team-based-learning (TBL) excercises, in anatomy we had to complete an autopsy/analysis of our cadaver and presented a lecture to the class, and in neuroscience we presented to the class on neurological diseases. All the projects enrich the curriculum and were welcomed breaks to the rigorous coursework.
A second word of advice I have would be to take advantage of the PCOM family. You will quickly learn that the quality of people associated with PCOM is second to none. I found the professors have an incredible passion for medicine and teaching, and take great pride in producing great healthcare providers. I served as Secretary on the Biomed Student Council, which was a great opportunity because I was able to connect with many of my classmates. Having classmates with similar goals, values, and life experiences helped me push myself and reach my potential. The amount of people that are involved in the PCOM community is simply awesome. There are an insane amount of groups, clubs, extra-curricular activities, volunteer opportunities, etc. The alumni network is vast, as there are always physicians who you can shadow and want to help you achieve your goals. There are research opportunities in almost any discipline imaginable, and they are available to all types of students. I truly believe that the quality of people at PCOM creates an atmosphere that brings success.
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