1995 Major: History; Urology Residency (1995-2005)
"In the field of Medicine, most people are surprised when they hear that I was a History Major in College. They assume that physicians pursued undergraduate degrees in STEM fields. But unlike many of my required pre-medical courses, I use a great deal of what I learned in my history classes every day in all aspects of my profession as a clinician, teacher, researcher, and administrator. My professors in my history courses taught me how to research from source material, interpret what I was reading both in the context of the time and our current context, and coherently and efficiently present my findings and interpretation in the papers I wrote. I rely heavily on what I have learned from my history degree every day as I read, interpret and write. I have also maintained a life long passion for history and believe history helps us understand why things are the way they are today especially in health care."
"I believe that studying history prepares students for any career path they want to pursue. I also believe the study of history allows a better understanding of the diverse stories and people that have contributed to the tapestry of our current every day circumstances. Incorporating those perspectives with the tools that the faculty in the Department of History at Duke teach will add tremendous value to any field a history student wishes to pursue."
