My ten years at Athens Academy prepared me extremely well for my college career as a student athlete and later as a physician. Playing sports year-round while also keeping up with the rigorous academic environment at the Academy taught me a great deal about time management, discipline, teamwork, and the value of a strong social support system.  I remember going to the old gym before school to shoot free throws and three pointers with my dad, then attending challenging classes all day. Once school was dismissed there was always a practice or game in the evening and I would typically arrive home around 7:00, leaving a few hours for homework and studying. I also fondly remember that my teachers and coaches did the same thing, working at least 12-hour days dedicating their lives to the Athens Academy community. These same coaches and teachers seldom had weekends off, as they were either coaching or supporting the various sports teams. I always admired their passion and devotion to the students.

When I moved to Rollins College to play basketball, I didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy the transition was given the remarkable preparation from Athens Academy. We held our practices at 5:30 a.m. to accommodate evening science lab courses, and all of a sudden I had more free time in the evenings than I had all throughout high school. Then, when I started medical school at the Medical College of Georgia, I had no athletic responsibilities (although flag football was a serious endeavor). In some ways, preparing for exams was almost easier than high school and college because there were many extra hours in the day to study.

I believe any student who succeeds academically at Athens Academy will be well prepared to pursue a career in medicine. In my graduating high school class of 50, we have a handful of physicians, including three ophthalmologists!  Besides the obvious factors of making good grades, scoring high on the MCAT, community service, and research, my advice on pursuing a career in medicine would be to always hold yourself accountable and responsible for your actions.  Medicine is an honorable field and many admissions committees are looking for well-rounded students without any red flags. Be careful on social media as many committees are looking at Twitter and Facebook accounts during the selection process. One error in judgment can have lasting consequences.