MYLANA WIESE ’25: EMBARKING ON THE PATH TO PEDIATRIC SURGERY 31 As a Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders, Mylana will travel to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from July 20 to August 4, 2024, to gain hands-on experience working with doctors at Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital. Last summer, Mylana Wiese attended the Congress of Future Medical Leaders at the University of Massachusetts Lowell campus, just outside Boston. The Congress is an honorsonly program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of the event is to honor, inspire, motivate, and direct the top students in the country interested in these careers, to stay true to their dream, and provide a path, plan, and resources to help them reach their goal. During the three-day Congress, Mylana represented the Aquinas Institute for her academic achievement, leadership potential, and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine. She joined over 5,000 students from across the country to listen to Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science recipients discuss groundbreaking medical research, receive guidance from deans of Ivy League and top medical schools about medical school expectations, hear stories from patients experiencing medical miracles, be inspired by other teenage medical science prodigies, and learn about the latest advances and future prospects in medicine and medical technology. Fast-forward to today, Mylana is preparing for a transformative journey to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where she will gain invaluable hands-on experience working alongside doctors at Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital. Throughout her medical studies, she will shadow doctors on their rounds, offering assistance wherever possible. Mylana’s aspiration to become a pediatric surgeon is deeply rooted in her desire to make a difference in the lives of young patients. Motivated by her own challenging experiences with health care in the past, she is determined to ensure that other children have more positive outcomes. Growing up, Mylana had not one, but ten surgeries. Going through any type of surgery in childhood is traumatic, but Mylana found that trusting her surgeon and feeling cared for made all the difference and helped ease her fears as a young child. Reflecting on her experience, she says, “I will always remember my surgeon from the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. She was a fierce advocate, and her research and persistence with other specialists changed my life for the better. She was a tremendous inspiration and is the kind of surgeon I want to be for my patients.” In preparation for her future in medicine, Mylana has the opportunity to work alongside experienced doctors in Tanzania. Excited as she is, this will be her first time overseas (not including a few family cruises) and her first time traveling without her parents. Experiencing life abroad, whether studying, working, or vacationing, is a time to immerse oneself in an entirely different culture and environment. Mylana will not only gain insight into the field of medicine but also further insight into herself as a young woman as she tackles new challenges. Her determination is strong, as she expresses her desire to set foot inside an OR and participate in pediatric and emergency room rotations. She also looks forward to meeting other students in the program who share her interest in medicine, developing new relationships along the way. When asked what advice she would offer to students who may be afraid or feel discouraged in pursuing their goals, Mylana shares, “You don’t always have to be the smartest person; you just have to be the most determined. Every goal is achievable if you set your mind and heart to it.” Mylana will return to Aquinas in the fall as a senior having gained real-world experience in the field of medicine. As enriching as her experience may be, Mylana is eager to celebrate the milestones of her senior year with her classmates. “Although I haven’t thought too much beyond Tanzania, I am ready to start applying for colleges,” Mylana confidently replies. “I am looking forward to making some big decisions and beginning my next chapter in life!”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTcyNDA=