Abigail Stockham

Medical Student

What is your hometown?

I am proud to have been born and raised in Maquoketa, Iowa. 

How or when did you become interested in science and medicine?

As with many children, my favorite question when I was young was, “But why, Mom?† I guess I just never grew out of that phase, as my mother helped me developmethods to diligently track down answers to my questions.  My problem-solving interest manifested itself in countless hours of putting together puzzles and creating furniture at my father’s fourth-generation mill working shop.  This led to an interest in science.  I have been told that I was also an affectionate and empathetic child, so the combination of science, problem-solving, and an interest in alleviating the suffering of others naturally blended into a career in medicine. 

How or why did you choose the UI to attend medical school?

As I developed my love of science and interest in serving people, the decision to pursue a career in medicine came naturally.  I diligently examined multiple universities, but none were a better match than the University of Iowa.  Iowa offered a top-notch medical education, had the brand-new MERF facility, and the positive atmosphere was unbeatable. 

Is there a teacher, mentor or Carver College of Medicine faculty member who has helped shape your education?

I am deeply indebted to many people at the Carver College of Medicine. It is incredibly difficult to mention names without forgetting several critical individuals.  I would like to thank the University of Iowa Neurosurgery Department – Dr. Howard for always being available for career guidance; Dr. Menezes for teaching me in his operating room; Dr. Ryken for helping me obtain my position at M.D. Anderson; Dr. Hitchon and Dr. Greenlee for involving me in clinical research; and Dr. Madan for providing me with a position in his lab.  I am grateful that residents Meryl Severson, Dave Hasan, Chandan Reddy, Bryan Bertoglio, Al Fenoy, and Tim Lindley have always been approachable, encouraging, and supportive of my interest in neurosurgery.  In addition, Dr. Buatti, Dr. LeBlond, Dr. Rubenstein, Dr. Thomas, and many others have played integral roles in my personal and professional development.  The entire OSAC staff has always been patient and helped me with the logistics of accomplishing whatever I was set out to do. 

What kinds of opportunities or advantages does being a medical student at Iowa provide? What about challenges?

The advantages are numerous!  The foremost advantages are its small size, the flexibility of the administrators and faculty members, and the quality of the education.  It has been apparent from the beginning of my medical education that the faculty members are genuinely supportive of students’ success.  If a student demonstrates initiative and asks for assistance with understanding material, the professors are always willing to go above and beyond what is required of them.  When I approached the administration in late April about doing a year of research at M.D. Anderson starting in less than two months, they were more than accommodating.  They approved a research proposal for a year-long elective, thus allowing me to still be a full-time medical student at Iowa as well as pursue my research interests.

Moreover, being a student at UICCOM has allowed me to apply for and receive a fellowship to Oxford next year to experience medical education and healthcare delivery in the U.K.  What an opportunity!

Please describe your professional goals and interests.

I am absolutely passionate about the central nervous system and a career in academic medicine.  In terms of a field of medicine, I am drawn to both neurosurgery and radiation oncology.  While these fields may seem very different, they share the common themes of caring for critically ill patients and carefully planning treatments based on a clinical exam, imaging, and professional judgment. 

Academic medicine remains of particular interest to me.  I aspire to coordinate classes, serve on committees, work directly with students in a teaching situation, and develop curricula for medical students.  I firmly believe in self-regulation in terms of professional conduct and policies regarding medicine.  As such, participation in political groups and regulating committees is of great interest to me.    

What are some of your outside interests?

My research is an interest outside of my education per se, but I also love snowboarding, kayaking, playing intramural flag football, reading for leisure, photography…and I am adamant that someday I will learn the art of throwing pots.

Do you participate in any community service/outreach projects? If so, what are they and what have your experiences been?

Over the course of my life community service has been important.  In medical school, I served as the Mobile Clinic Bus Coordinator and volunteered at the Mobile Clinic, which   were rewarding and eye-opening experiences.  One of my personal goals is to participate in providing healthcare to the underserved both domestically and internationally. 

Do you have an insight or philosophy that guides you in your work?
I am perpetually inspired by working with patients.  I am privileged to witness on a daily basis the courage and optimism demonstrated by patients who are hopeful that, though a “cure for cancer†may not arrive in time to save their life, that scientists will fulfill the mission and that of scientists around the globe, to “Make Cancer History.†
I also draw from quotes and the words of others.  One of my personal favorites is from Iowa’s own 1939 Heisman Trophy winner, Nile Kinnick from his writings during February, 1943:  “The keys to happiness are patience, good humor, unselfishness -- and it takes a lifetime to demonstrate all this.  Never let momentary feelings deter you from pressing on or even starting anew.â€

If you could change one thing about the world (or the world of medicine), what would it be?

I would like to see more education of the general public regarding health maintenance and disease prevention, without the media sensationalizing healthcare stories.  The more people understand about physiology, the more they are empowered to take action to maintain or improve their health and determine when it is necessary to access healthcare.  The significance of education is unparalleled.  Knowledge can change perceptions, policy, and the course of history.  I am encouraged by ever-increasing efforts to educate people around the globe, but there is still much to be done.

What one piece of advice you would give to students who are interested in applying to medical school?

Put things in perspective.  You never know what medical school is like before you get there, but try to get as much information about it as possible.  Talk with physicians and medical students.  Read their biographies and memoirs.  There is no need to generate undue anxiety about medical school, but it isn’t just a continuation of undergrad. Though the quantity of the material covered is significant, it is definitely understandable.  I was convinced that I was never going to sleep again once I matriculated into medical school and that the exams were going to ask impossibly difficult questions that there was no way to prepare for.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that you do get to sleep most nights and the professors do not test you on minute details of material they never covered.  Clinical exposure also helps put things in perspective.  I was a nurse’s aid for several years prior to medical school.  It gave me invaluable insights as to how “unglamorous†medicine can be, afforded me a comfort level with procedures and people, and confirmed my passion for serving patients through a career in medicine.

What do you see as "the future" of medicine?

I foresee further sub-specialization of medical fields and increased use of physician-extenders. In terms of research, it will remain crucial for clinicians and basic scientists to work closely to complete translational research.  Techniques are perpetually improving, making research more applicable to clinical practice through ex vivo experiments and just plain increased understanding of physiology, pathology, and various therapies.  I believe that immunotherapy will be increasingly utilized, marrying exogenous therapies with a patient’s innate disease-fighting capacity.  Discoveries will continue to be made in the field of epigenetics that will be able to be exploited for selective destruction of tumor cells.  It is my sincere belief that many types of cancer will become “just another chronic disease†or will be curable in my lifetime.