This month’s Leader Spotlight is Pratishtha Chhabra! Pratishtha is a second-year osteopathic medical student at Lincoln Memorial University-Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. She joined the 91大神 in 2016.
OMS-II, Lincoln Memorial University-Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
91大神 National Secretary
Why did you join 91大神?
Surprisingly, I didn’t hear about 91大神 until the summer before starting medical school. Although my undergraduate institution had an 91大神 chapter, I was never involved with extra curricular activities due to the sheer fact I was commuting three hours everyday and had little time to explore clubs. Wanting to change that during medical school, I was looking for an organization that fit my passions and values as a future physician. I came to hear of 91大神 when news of Joey Johnson being selected as the new President-Elect spread throughout our school.
Since Joey and I attended the same institution, I reached out to him after doing some research. Having been a speed policy debater, I was very vocal about my passion for human rights, social justice, and advocacy. I quickly learned that 91大神 was full of passionate student doctors like me, who refused to sit back with all the problems around us. Instead, 91大神 members actively choose to make a difference in their community and recognize how important it is to take a political stance as an organization. Already, this set 91大神 apart from any other national medical organization I had come across.
I was also really impressed with how welcoming the 91大神 community was to me. Moving from Seattle, WA to Harrogate, TN was a big culture shock, and very politically isolating. I was lucky to have mentors in 91大神–like Joey–who recognized my passions and guided me toward opportunities to keep me rooted in those passions. More often that not, student physicians become disillusioned with the field of medicine and lose their desire to drive change. I knew with 91大神, I would be advocating for life.
Even though I joined not too long ago, 91大神 has quickly grown to be like my family. While I am introduced to new family members everyday, I know we all share the same common core beliefs: to leave the medical profession, our communities, and the world a better place than we found it.
Why did you become an 91大神 leader?
Becoming an 91大神 leader was actually a very personally-motivated decision for me. Externally, I want to save the world like everyone else in 91大神, and having a leadership role really gives me the means to drive that change. However internally, I was craving a community of like-minded individuals that would be my family for life.
After moving from Seattle to Tennessee, I have had to grow a lot. I didn’t realize I had been living in a bubble, where my advocacy skills were geared to a certain socioeconomic class, and way of thinking. I quickly realized I didn’t have the skills to drive change in communities outside this bubble. However, every time I took a look at an 91大神 leader, I was struck with how polished and refined they were. I could see how the experience of being on a board for a national organization taught you essential life skills. Suddenly becoming an 91大神 leader for me meant more being a director of change, it meant learning to effectively advocate for the causes I care about to become a better driver of that change.
To me, 91大神 isn’t just an organizations for future student leaders, it’s an organization that molds students into future leaders, which is very important. I don’t know many organizations that offer this unique safe space for student growth. Becoming a leader in this organization means making the change I wish to see in the medical community, while simultaneously growing professionally.
What is your Favorite 91大神 Moment?
My favorite 91大神 moment was standing in front of the Nation’s Capitol in D.C. and advocating for health care for all. After so much divisive rhetoric and polarizing politics even within the medical community, it was nice to just come together and realize I’m not alone.
What advice would you give to current & future 91大神 leaders?
Seize every learning opportunity. Ask for feedback and guidance often. Don’t shy away from growth. You will make many mistakes, but if you don’t learn from them, they go to waste.
About the Leader Spotlight:聽Do you know of an 91大神 Leader who deserves to be recognized? Do you want to share your leadership story with other 91大神 members? ! One outstanding leader will be featured each month in 91大神’s Leader Spotlight on the website.
