Ryan Martynowicz
(He/Him/His)
Class of 2027
Home city and state: Florham Park, NJ
Undergraduate study: Washington University St. Louis, Neuroscience major with minors in Healthcare Management and History
Student organizations and affinity groups
- LGBTQ+ Alliance
- CMSO September Runs
Why did you choose Feinberg?
One of the major selling point about Feinberg to me was the very apparent atmosphere of collaboration. Everyone that I talked to from the school whether they were formal Feinberg Ambassadors or other students I ran into by chance, stressed that the respective classes were incredibly supportive. This applied to not only within a class, but also with the M2, M3, and M4 classes supporting their respective juniors. Beyond that, the ECMH with its simultaneous longitudinal and early access to patient care stood out as a strength of the curriculum. Entering a the Chicago community to support its member from the earliest days of the M1 year really drove home how important early clinical exposure and working for the community was for Feinberg, two major criteria I was looking for in a medical school. Overall, Feinberg had everything I was seeking in a medical school, a supportive student environment, work class facilities and mentors, and a curriculum that emphasized early clinical exposure and the Chicago community it served.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting medical school?
For me, the biggest challenge in starting medical school was trying to acclimate to the medical school curriculum and achieving a health life balance within its framework. Our academic schedule is notably different than that of an undergraduate institution, allowing for greater independence in how we learn with a strong emphasis on small group learning and collaboration. While I was a big fan of this change, it did require me to adjust how I approached lectures and studying. Thankfully, my fellow M1s who were also adjusting, my M2 buddy (all M1s are paired with an M2 as another support tool), and the members of the academic support staff were able to help me along the way to achieving a great balance in my life.
Topics I can discuss with prospective students:
- Life in Chicago
- Campus Life
- Student Wellness
