Our H.E.R.O. Award -Honoring Excellent Resident Observations – was launched to highlight the personal sacrifices and educational commitment during a medical resident’s professional adult life. We realize, considering the fast moving changes in healthcare, how courageous medical residents are to embark upon a career in medicine with such an uncertain future. This award is our way of recognizing that courage.
We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our nominees individually:
Nicole McCoy,M.D.
The most exciting and memorable portions of Nicole’s time at
Florida State University College of Medicine were the 3rd and 4th years of regional campus training. As the class was split into smaller regional campuses, it gave the medical students the opportunity to work and learn in a small group setting, but most importantly provided training at locations that allowed the medical student to work one-on-one with attendings (other medical schools have students work under residents and a medical student may rarely work directly with an attending).
This opportunity gave Nicole the preparation for her to become a competent clinician as she entered residency. She had more surgical experience as she was always the first assistant to the surgeon; she had more OB experience as she was always assisting the physician with deliveries and C-sections; she had more practice with presentation skills on rounds as well as writing notes as she was the only person working directly under the attending.
Medicine is exciting and challenging. Despite changes in the healthcare business realm, it is still a fulfilling career that Nicole wakes up excited to embark upon every day. She sees herself practicing medicine for many years in the future and teaching her own children what it is like to have a fulfilling and exciting career.
As a candy striper in high school and college Nicole volunteered between the labor and delivery units and Neonatal ICU. She especially loved watching the premature babies grow and thrive with exciting ground breaking medical advances. She was drawn to wanting to be a part of that transformation and really making a difference in the lives of exceptional children.
As Nicole’s college friends were working hard and becoming successful business women right out of college–building a savings account and starting families– Nicole was taking out loans to pay the high cost of a medical education and studying late into the night. She knew the payoff (many years later) would be worth it, but it was just difficult realizing how different her career path was from theirs.
The long road of medical education and residency has actually gone by at lightning speed and the end result is not far off, but those first few years were tough on her friendships and finances. She says she wouldn’t have changed a thing but may just have put less pressure on herself to fit in with them knowing what she knows now.
Vote for Nicole here.
If you know a resident that deserves to be recognized,
please nominate your candidate here.
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