Dr. Sun’s Path to Internal Medicine, M.D.
Although Dr. Gloria Sun was a great student in high school, she was unsure of her future. But with the help of her mother, she soon was able to figure it out. During her high school years, her mother encouraged her to begin volunteering at Los Angeles County Hospital. The excitement and interest she found while volunteering gave her the idea that medicine was a path she could truly see herself heading down.
The next step was determining exactly which health profession she wanted to pursue. Dr. Sun knew that in these hospital settings, the M.D.s were always the people in control. For this reason, she made it her goal to achieve that top rank.
In order to embark on this journey, Dr. Sun applied to colleges as a pre-med student. She attended University of California Irvine, where she was able to complete her four-year undergraduate degree in biology. Throughout her undergraduate program, she completed the courses required by medical schools, such as physics, organic chemistry, and many more. Then, before applying to medical school, she completed her MCAT exam. She did not do quite as well as she had hoped on the exam, and because of this, she was put on the waiting list for Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Sun worried that she may have to retake the MCATs but received a phone call at the last minute that Wayne State University did indeed have a spot for her at their medical school. She was excited and relieved!
After completing her four years of medical school, it was time for Dr. Sun to begin her residency. She spent three years as a resident in internal medicine at the University of California San Diego Medical Center, ultimately leading her to where she is today, a practicing M.D.
On a day-to-day basis, Dr. Sun sees anywhere from fifteen to twenty patients in the clinic. She provides them with annual checkups, performs chronic disease follow-ups, and diagnoses patient symptoms such as fevers or joint pains during sick visits. In addition to these appointments, Dr. Sun reviews patients’ lab work and x-rays, completes patients’ prescription refills, and takes patients’ calls to answer any questions they may have. Overall, it is a busy day that can sometimes last until nine o’clock in the evening.
Throughout the many years Dr. Sun has spent working as an internal medicine specialist, she has found that her patients are by far her favorite part. She has known many of her patients for almost twenty years and feels fortunate to be an influential part of not only their health, but their lives. The special bond Dr. Sun creates with each of her patients allows for them to not only respect her, but also trust her. This bond is extremely important, as she sees the majority of her patients at least once a year, but often times even more. Dr. Sun is grateful for these relationships.
In addition to the love she has for her patients, Dr. Sun also enjoys working in internal medicine because she loves the challenge of making a diagnosis. When a patient comes in with a complaint, it is her job to figure out exactly what is wrong with them. One memorable example of this was when one of her patients came in with double vision. After listening to what her patient had to say and running a couple of tests, she was able to diagnose her patient with a neurological disorder called myasthenia gravis. This disorder occurs when an antibody attacks one of the nerve endings. When this happens, the nerves become unable to communicate with each other. This disorder prevented the patient’s eye muscles from working properly, ultimately resulting in her double vision. Once Dr. Sun was able to make this diagnosis, she was able to treat her patient, allowing the patient to return to their everyday activities such as working and driving. It is scenarios like this that allow Dr. Sun to make a big difference in her patients’ lives, making her job all the more rewarding!
Although she knows its necessary, the least rewarding part of her day involves entering information into the electronic medical record system. Before this system was electronic, Dr. Sun would be able to quickly jot down her notes and spend the rest of her time talking to her patients about non-medical aspects of their lives. Now, Dr. Sun is constantly clicking around and typing away in order to generate data, which can take away from the more personal connection she would like to be forming with her patients. Dr. Sun believes many doctors feel this way.
Choosing a career is a big decision. After going through this process herself, Dr. Sun knows how important it is that you like what you do. She believes that it is important for high school students to expose themselves to the world of healthcare in order to see if it is something they are truly interested in pursuing. “Becoming a doctor is not an easy road, but if in the end you enjoy your profession, all of the competition and hard work is worth it.”