Full Circle: MedAchieve’s Role in Shaping a Doctor
From Afterschool Program to Medical School, Dihara Mohamed Returns to Mentor Others
A first-year medical student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Harlem (TouroCOM), Dihara Mohamed was born in Bangladesh and moved to the U.S. with her parents and brother at age nine. The family settled in Queens, where she attended public schools and graduated from CUNY’s Hunter College as a top student with a major in biochemistry. She is the first graduate of TouroCOM Harlem’s STEM afterschool program “MedAchieve” to matriculate into the medical school.
Why did you decide to become an osteopathic physician?
I took three gap years after college and during that time worked as a scribe and shadowed a DO at Northwell Cancer Institute at Rego Park. As part of their Supportive Oncology and Palliative Care team, I worked with a lot of cancer patients as they dealt with the burdens and symptoms of their disease. We provided holistic care to people from various backgrounds and I learned a lot about treating patients as a whole and societal barriers to treatments.
Why did you choose Touro?
At Bard High School Early College, I signed up for TouroCOM’s afterschool program, MedAchieve, for STEM students interested in health science careers. We were mentored one-on-one by TouroCOM students. In the anatomy lab I encountered a human corpse for the first time, which sparked a fascination with the body’s organs and functions and a deep respect for donors who give their bodies to science so students like me could learn. It made me want to learn, in a respectful way. That was a catalyst that laid the foundation for serving as a student instructor in college for Mentoring in Medicine, a TouroCOM partner that mentors underserved high school students. The dots just connected. I benefited from Touro’s programs and now as a first-year medical student I love being able to get back to mentoring; it’s like a full circle moment. My interactions and research with medical students and faculty solidified TouroCOM as my first choice.
How have your educational experiences contributed to achieving your long-term goals?
As I go through the clinical and rotation years I’ll be able to solidify those goals more, but physical medicine and rehabilitation (“PMR”) is one. Working at Northwell I helped interview cancer patients, documented their histories and exams, and developed a strong mentor-mentee relationship with a DO. I learned that osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) is based on the idea that the body can heal itself, with a focus on how the muscles and bones affect health. I watched the doctor use stretching and gentle movement to help patients with cancer-related pain move better and feel less pain. I was excited to learn how OMM can improve the body’s balance and function, supporting overall wellness.
What are some of the challenges you faced on your path? Do you have any advice for other aspiring doctors?
Maybe the MCAT. It was definitely a challenge. I had to take it twice and take time off to study for it. I was a straight-A student but it definitely put me in my place. It’s a shift in your learning curve. I had to navigate and be patient with myself. It’s important not to give up. You have to really want it and just keep pushing.
