Sophie May compares being a first-generation college student to trying to assemble a puzzle when you haven’t seen the picture on the box.
“You’re just kind of figuring it out along the way,” said May, a second-year medical student at Indiana University School of Medicine—Fort Wayne. “It takes persistence and resilience.”
About 11 percent of IU medical students identify as first-generation, meaning their parents did not have college degrees. If they felt out of place as undergrads, it’s even less common to be a first-generation student in medical school..
May’s mother earned a high school diploma in Japan before immigrating to the U.S. at age 20. Her father received his General Educational Development (GED) certificate and worked in cooling and insulation. May considers herself fortunate to have graduated from Carmel High School, where going to college was an expectation of teachers, counselors and peers.
She always liked the sciences. After her cat deposited a freshly killed rabbit on the front porch, May’s mom found her performing a dissection with sticks — and proudly identifying the heart and intestines.
May majored in human biology on the premed track at Indiana University. A stress fracture brought her to see Bloomington orthopedic surgeon Sterling Doster, MD, and she asked to shadow him. That experience solidified her decision.
“When I was growing up, I felt my family physician was dismissive and burnt out, and I didn’t want to go to the doctor unless I really had to,” May said. “This experience was different and really decided the path for me. Dr. Doster sat down next to me and walked me though my X-ray and taught me about my own body. I want to be that person. I want to have that kind of impact.”
Sorting out the puzzle pieces
The road to medical school had some detours. May worked multiple part-time jobs to pay for her education. A major change in her family dynamic led to untreated anxiety and depression, affecting her academic performance. After getting mental health services, May was back on track, but the message she heard from her premed advisor was discouraging: “Either ace everything from here on out, or med school’s not an option for you.”
“I didn’t have a family member or anyone who could tell me about other paths to medicine,” May said.
Thankfully, her superpower as a first-gen student surfaced: persistence. May applied to more than 15 medical schools and wrote dozens of admissions essays — only to be rejected. Instead of quitting, she took a break.
“Applications are exhausting,” she said. “It takes time, energy, emotional investment and money — all of which is challenging. I gave myself time to breathe and reassess.”
That doesn’t mean she was idle. May reached out to the admissions office of every school that rejected her application and asked how she could improve.
IU School of Medicine was the most helpful with feedback, she said, suggesting a postgraduate program. May earned a master’s in health administration to learn the business of medicine. Then she reapplied to medical school — and got waitlisted. Again, she persisted. Looking to beef up her science background, she petitioned her way into a cellular and integrated physiology program at IU School of Medicine by writing a mini personal statement — an unusual move that caught the director’s attention.
“Had I not done that, I don’t know that I would be here today in medical school,” May said.
During her master’s studies, her father died from cancer. From her previous experiences, May knew to reach out for support early and received free mental health counseling through the IU School of Medicine Department of Mental Health Services.
“I still use them,” said May, who recently gave birth to her first child. “Sleep is a challenge right now, and it’s a huge life change.”
At 32 years old, May is considered a nontraditional student. She values each twist in her journey and wouldn’t trade it for a more direct path.
“I definitely took the convoluted route to get to medical school,” she said. “At times, I was frustrated and didn’t feel I was ‘enough.’ But being where I’m at now, I’m glad I hold all those experiences. I’m very proud of the resilience and the persistence I’ve cultivated. You have to struggle to develop those traits.”
At IU School of Medicine, May connected with the First Generation Student Committee, and she serves in an elected position within Medical Student Council as a Fort Wayne campus representative for her class.
“I have learned to advocate for myself over the years, so I wanted to advocate for others — to make sure students were heard and things were equitable,” she said.
May believes her journey will make her a better doctor, too.
“As someone who’s faced challenges, you can relate to your patients and encourage them,” she said. “Maybe you haven’t had their disease, but you do know what it’s like to want to give up and to struggle and to keep showing up day after day for yourself — and eventually getting where you want to be.”
To May, being “first-gen” means being resourceful and resilient.
“That sets us apart,” she said. “We don’t quit in the middle of the puzzle.”
First Generation Student Committee at IU School of Medicine
November 8 is the national First-Generation College Celebration, initiated by the Council for Opportunity in Education in 2017. The First Generation Student Committee at IU School of Medicine was formed in 2018 to foster a network of students, staff and faculty at the school who identify as first-generation. This student-led group develops programs and events to support medical students, including a first-generation breakfast during orientation week, wellness events and mentoring opportunities. A newly appointed vice president of research is now helping first-gen students connect with research opportunities.
“The First Generation Student Committee is an important network because first-gen students are missing a unique support system that other students might have, especially if you don’t have anyone in your family who works in health care,” said committee co-president Kortni Clements. “Our goal is to try and bridge that gap.”
Last year, the committee launched a mentoring program pairing older first-generation students with new first-gen medical students.
“Imposter syndrome can be especially high in first-gen students, and hearing from other successful first-gen students can be incredibly helpful,” Clements said.
Medical students interested in getting involved in the First Generation Student Committee may email committee co-advisor Niki Messmore, director of medical service learning.
More resources for First-Generation Medical Students can be found on the IU School of Medicine Medical Student Portal. This website includes the AAMC’s Tools and Resources for First-Generation Medical School Students and links to other external resources.
