Get to Gnome Me

Noorda-COM faculty, students, and staff are more than their job title or student status. They’re also parents, novelists; professional athletes–and the list goes on! That’s why we created “Get to Gnome Me”: to spotlight our campus members’ personalities, achievements, and lives beyond Noorda-COM. Today we’re spotlighting Roshni J., an (almost) fourth-year who loves spending time with her cat Oliver, cooking, and trying new foods.

If you scroll through my camera roll, you’ll find… my cat Oliver! He’s my pride and joy, and far more
photogenic than I am.

My favorite thing about third-year rotations has been… engaging with patients! I love talking through different diagnoses and preventative measures with patients so they can take on an active role in developing their care plan and feel empowered to lead healthier lives.

My mom has had the greatest impact on my life. I’d be lost without her sacrifices and endless
support.

A physician I admire is… Dr. Hekekia. She was one of the first faculty members I met at Noorda COM
and she even cooked the tastiest meal for us during our first semester! It has been so wonderful to have such a warm and talented female physician to turn to for advice through medical school and I’ll be forever grateful for her guidance.

Currently, I’m looking forward to… away rotations. I’m excited about the opportunity to explore a new
city for a while and interact with different patient populations–but I’m equally excited to try out
new places to eat!

I find life meaningful when… I get to visit my family and friends. Med school has been challenging and
spending time with my support system has definitely helped get me through the more rockier bits.

My favorite place on-campus is… the pods! The view of the mountains is the perfect study backdrop–they’re quite calming after a tough uWorld block.

My go-to wellness activity is… a good post-dinner walk. I love grabbing a good bite to eat and then
going on an evening stroll to stave off the food coma and get some steps in. Walking by the lake or
on a trail in the canyon are probably my go-to’s!

Noorda-COM faculty, students, and staff are more than their job title or student status. They’re also parents, novelists; professional athletes–and the list goes on! That’s why we created “Get to Gnome Me”: to spotlight our campus members’ personalities, achievements, and lives beyond Noorda-COM. Kicking off our first feature is Elle G., a first-year interested in PM&R and sports medicine.

A core memory of mine is… earning a place on the U.S. Aerial Ski Team* (based in Park City, Utah) and competing on the full World Cup Circuit and World Championships Teams in 2015.

My favorite aspect of Grand Opening was… showing attendees of our gala how awesome our school is and being able to connect to people behind the scenes of Noorda-COM who make it possible for us to be here! Being a first-year, I saw a lot of things I haven’t been introduced to yet (like the simulation center), so it makes me excited for the future! But overall, it was so cool to see everyone come together and celebrate all the hard work that was put into our much needed school! 

My favorite place on campus is… pod 4026 with fellow students, specifically at night with a fake fireplace playing on the TV.

My first (memorable) experience with medicine was… my first day as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), I walked into a patient’s room so shy and nervous that I could barely get words out of my mouth. I very quickly realized that medicine is all about communication and patient connection.

If I haven’t texted you back in a while, I’m probably… out of service or taking a nice long nap.

If you scroll through my camera roll, you’ll find… a bunch of pictures of Ram’s** cat, Ham, and hundreds of screenshots of schoolwork so I can study on the go.

I’m most passionate about research surrounding… traumatic brain injury and concussion! I personally suffered for many years from countless brain injuries acquired from my sport and understand the effects it has on your quality of life! Healthy brain: happy life.

One thing I wish people knew about osteopathic medicine is… how beneficial OMM can be for some patients!

My motto for life is… “NEXT”. It started as an inside joke with my mom and I and now I say it to all situations in life.

My pod mates… keep med school fun. They make me laugh every single day while keeping me in line with studies by constantly quizzing me.

My go-to wellness activity is… getting outside! Whether it be skiing, camping, climbing, biking, I always feel better when outdoors.

*For those unfamiliar with aerial skiing, Elle provided the following explanation of her sport and background:

“Aerial skiing consists of skiing 35+ miles per hour straight off a 15-20 foot jump, propelling yourself 30-40 feet in the air while doing flips and twists of varying difficulty and hopefully landing on your feet on an inclined landing hill. In 2013, when I was 15, I was recruited to join the U.S. Elite Aerial Development Program where I lived, trained, and did online school full-time at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York with my coaches and 11 teammates. In the summer, we trained twice a day (not including 2 strength training and trampoline sessions) on water ramps, where we skied off of jumps made of plastic and landed into a pool of water instead of snow, giving us a safe place to progress our tricks for the winter.

During competition season, we traveled around the United States, Canada, and Europe competing in North American and European cups, which are a stepping stone into the official World Cup Circuit. Starting in 2015, at 17 years old, I competed on the full World Cup Circuit and World Championships Teams, traveling and flipping worldwide.

Through my years of aerial skiing, I was fortunate to have minimal injuries, however, my brain did not have the same durability as my body. After multiple traumatic brain injuries and concussions, I made the decision to step away from the sport to rebuild my cognitive and mental health. Without my career as an aerial skier, I would have never found my way to medicine.”

**Ram is a friend from Elle’s cohort and president of COM 2027.