Abstract
From the first day we decided to embrace the
medical profession to the moment we
received our degrees certifying us as
professionals, one premise constantly echoed
in the halls of our faculties and in the
speeches of our mentors: studying medicine
alone is not enough. We are warned that
limiting ourselves to academic excellence in
the basic and clinical sciences is a short-
sighted vision if we aspire to make a real
impact on the healthcare ecosystem.
However, this warning often hangs in the air
as an ambiguous imperative. What does
“making a difference” really mean? More
importantly, for a student immersed in the
rigors of clinical rotations, how accessible is it
really to start making that mark?