Natasha Coleman MD’16
Age: 27
Hometown: Bethesda, MD
Undergrad school and major: Harvard University, Neurobiology
Specialty: General Surgery
Residency: New York Presbyterian-Columbia / Columbia University Medical Center
When did you decide to become a doctor?
My earliest, most formative experiences were around learning to take care of one of my older sisters, who was born with developmental disabilities and a seizure disorder. … [After college,] I worked at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for two years as a clinical trials research assistant. I enrolled patients with melanoma or renal cell carcinoma into clinical trials studying novel biologic therapies. Much of my time was spent scheduling treatments and staging imaging, but what struck me about the experience were the connections I developed with patients, some of whom remained enrolled in treatment for the duration of my time there. I was humbled by their experiences living with disease, witnessing their triumphs and frustrations. I was fortunate to work with a team of physicians who cared deeply about their patients and demonstrated exemplary bedside manner, and modeled the type of physician I wanted to become.
Why did you choose Alpert Medical School?
In my experience on the interview trail, Alpert Medical School was the only place where the students seemed genuinely happy to be there. I met a group of passionate students with interesting lives who were dedicated to working hard but also made space to have fun. That was the balance I was looking for in medical school.
How have you prepared for the Match?
I am not sure anything could fully prepare me for this unique rollercoaster of emotions surrounding the Match. No one gets a job this way! But I have been fortunate to be surrounded by a strong and steady source of love and support in my family and friends. They have been with me through the most wonderful but also some of the darkest times in medical school.
