Leslie Applegate, 26, knew she had an interest in pediatrics when she considered UC for her medical degree. Cincinnati was larger and livelier than her hometown of Lexington and within an easy drive of her family. Cincinnati Childrens also offered great training opportunities.
"Medical school is very stressful and demanding, said Applegate, a graduate of Georgetown University. "But, I made some of my best friends in medical school, and they made the hours we spent sitting in the study rooms, studying, so much more bearable and fun. Those are some of my favorite memories from the past four years.
As Applegate advanced to her third- and fourth-year of medical school, she found her wards in local hospitals equally rewarding. She was touched by interactions with patients.
"Some patients you find connections with, whether it is because of who they are or what their situation is, said Applegate. "Health care providers are often encountering people when they are in their most difficult or trying situations. To be able to be there for people and share that with them is really an honor.
Applegate will stay at UC to do a combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics.
"We have great internal medicine and pediatrics programs here and I am really excited to work with them, she said.
The College of Medicine will also honor Applegate with the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award at Saturdays hooding ceremony. The award recognizes individuals who emphasize humanism in the delivery of care to patients and their families.
Applegate believes connecting with the Cincinnati community is a way to provide better care for her patients. While in medical school she was part of Med Mentors, a mentoring partnership linking College of Medicine students with mentees in Cincinnati Public Schools.
Applegate remembers mentoring elementary students and helping to organize a trip for youngsters to a science museum in Columbus. It was the first time many of the students traveled out of Cincinnati, she said.
"Its a great program because it helps medical students get involved in the community and it I think brings a sense of awareness of the patient population that we serve during our time here at UC, said Applegate.
"You get to see the school system in the community and to interact with children and their families so you get a better sense of some of the challenges people in our community face, she said. "We are so isolated because we do spend so much of our time studying and in our own world. So being able to spend time in the community and experience a connection, it brings another dimension to our patient care as we enter our careers.
Applegate offered some advice for this falls incoming medical students.
"You really have to keep balance in your life, she said. "You cant let school be everything even though it does take up a lot of your time. You have to make room in your life for friends and family, exercise or cooking or whatever it is that makes you feel happy or like a real person instead of just a studying robot. Its really important for your mental and physical health to do those things for yourself.
