First years relax in downtown Rochester

As a single, recent college graduate, I never knew I would like Rochester as much as I do now.

I love the Mayo Clinic, but the town was supposed to be the “compromise.” Rochester is actually a really nice place to live and has a weirdly exciting mix of cosmopolitan and suburban vibes. I live right above The Loop–a metropolitan restaurant and bar–and around me all I see are skyscrapers–99.99% of which are Mayo buildings. There are a lot of cozy restaurants and bars around me, and there are plenty of people there all throughout the week—not just on weekends! There are lots of coffee shops, chocolate stores (my favorite), and even a wine and painting center called Canvas & Chardonnay.The stops at the top of my list have been the People’s Food Co-op (an organic grocery store with really great gelato) and the boba tea stand at Thursdays on First & 3^rd (a summertime street festival in Rochester with lots of food, music, and more!)

We’re not that far into our first year, but I already feel like I need to talk about Mayo and medical school. This is the first time in my life that I’ve really met professors who make it easy for you to learn. The professors are genuinely passionate about helping you understand the material and it’s a weird but really awesome feeling. You know what else is awesome? The feeling that all your incredibly crazy dreams are 100% within reach. Of all the mentors and consultants I’ve met with this month, no one has told me that my dreams seem impossible–something I’ve heard a few too many times in the past. With Mayo’s resources and with the incredible curriculum here, I think I can actually figure out a way to combine everything. We are in Candyland and the world is our oyster.

We’re literally walking down the halls with some of the best doctors and the best resources in the world; the only thing better than that is the fact that these consultants are more than willing to mentor students who are hungry to learn. I’ve also started planning out my selectives—I’m excited to say that I’m spending my first two weeks at Mayo following residents and learning about Mayo’s impact on health policy, but I’ll also be working with indigenous populations, New York-based refugees, emergency care in immigrant communities in Toronto, and monks in Dharamsala before next June.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about my education.

Vid, a first year medical student, is a member of the Mayo Medical School Social Media Committee. She is interested in internal medicine and is originally from London, England. Her hobbies include reading, travelling, and watching too much Netflix.

Tags: Education, First Year Medical Student, M1 year, Mayo Clinic, Mayo Medical School, Mayo Medical School Blog, Medical School, Medical Student Blog, Medical Students, Meet Mayo Med, Minnesota, New School, Rochester, Uncategorized