PNWU Student Doctor Julie Fedorko (OMS IV) was recently awarded the Douglas S. Paauw MD Outstanding Student in Internal Medicine Award from the American College of Physicians’ (ACP’s) Washington Chapter. One senior medical student from each allopathic and osteopathic medical school is honored with the award annually.
We recently caught up with Student Doctor Fedorko to discuss the honor, and her passion for internal medicine.
What was your reaction to the news that you’d been named the Douglas Paauw MD Outstanding Student in Internal Medicine from the American College of Physicians Washington Chapter?
Totally surprised but very grateful! Being a fourth-year student has felt daunting at times with interviews, the Match, and intern year on the horizon; it felt great to be acknowledged and reminded of the progress I’ve made thus far.
What attracted you to internal medicine?
Internal medicine is multi-system and heavy on physiology, which makes it incredibly challenging but undeniably rewarding.
On my IM rotations, working through a patient’s problem list often felt like solving a puzzle, and I found it fun and engaging to apply the complex physiology to better understand a patient’s pathology. I also love the multidisciplinary nature of IM.
As I’ve learned, a patient’s surrounding functional, social, and economic circumstances are all pieces of the clinical puzzle, and this rings especially true for an internist. Each problem, whether it’s social or physical, contributes to the next one, serving as both a cause and result of a patient’s clinical presentation. My favorite IM preceptors and teachers emphasized this concept, and I think it’s a wonderful lens through which to view medicine.
How has PNWU prepared you for this honor?
At PNWU, we’re lucky to have Dr. Baldwin, Dr. Elliott and Dr. Brady — experienced internists in their own specialties who are not only passionate about teaching their systems, but provide us with the tools to think critically and work through complicated challenges in medicine. By setting high expectations and encouraging me to engage deeply with my areas of interest, they without a doubt made me a more thoughtful, inquisitive, and ambitious student.
Additionally, PNWU encourages students to spread their wings and seek learning opportunities wherever they can. I was lucky enough to spend a great deal of my fourth year on away rotations, where I learned in many diverse environments which forever expanded and deepened my perspective in medicine. Having that freedom was amazing and I realize that it’s not possible at every medical school, so I’m grateful that PNWU was so accommodating and supportive in this way.
How does this award tie into your overall medical aspirations?
In terms of further specialization, I plan to keep an open mind throughout my intern year as I engage more deeply with the many specialties within internal medicine. But over the past three years, I’ve found nephrology to be particularly interesting and engaging, and would love to pursue a nephrology fellowship after residency.
In the more distant future, I see myself at a teaching hospital where I can continue to work with medical students, residents, and fellows; I think an academic environment that includes those at all stages of training is so valuable and exciting.
And, of course, like any medical student, I hope to become an excellent clinician. To me, this means being a doc who maintains lifelong intellectual curiosity and an intersectional analytical framework.