Read the full story by Susan Green, published by the Geisel School of Medicine.
Each spring, a diverse group of physicians graduate from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. They are part of a 216-year tradition that includes a legacy of more than 4,500 alumni. Inspired physician leaders, they are poised to solve our most pressing challenges in health care.
Although many were achieving their childhood dream of becoming a doctor, for others, the path was more circuitous. But their goals are the same—to improve the lives of their patients and communities.
Featured below are five of the Geisel School’s new graduates:
Jake Stevens
Growing up in a small town in the woods of northern Maine, Jake Stevens was no stranger to medicine—both his mother and his aunt were nurses. Yet medicine held little appeal for Stevens. (Read more)
Laura Ostapenko
Being a doctor never entered Laura Ostapenko’s mind. A high school English teacher, she was interested in engaging with her students on a deeper level—talking with them about their values, their goals, the kind of person they wanted to become—but the traditional model of secondary education left little time for her to make those connections. (Read more)
Ellen Stein
Medicine captured Ellen Stein’s imagination long ago. She’d been skirting the profession for years. As a volunteer emergency medical technician (EMT) in rural Vermont and New Hampshire, she taught the basics of wilderness medicine to college students and taught Uzbek doctors how to conduct successful EMT classes. (Read more)
Adina Fischer As a 12-year-old, Adina Fischer moved with her family from Albany, N.Y., to Yuvalim, a small town in Northern Israel. Life in Israel was difficult for Fischer and her four younger sisters, as none of them spoke Hebrew. School was a tremendous challenge, and in order to overcome the language barrier she diligently looked up every word in the dictionary so she could do well in her studies. (Read more)
Ben Grass
Ben Grass envisions a fulfilling life living and practicing medicine in a small rural community, and becoming a vital part of that community. “I’m happiest when I’m part of a small community,” says the Denver, Colo., native and cycling enthusiast. (Read more)
