Christine Egu, MS2
Christine Egu, MS2
Class of 2024
- Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and raised in Houston, Texas. I went to a small independent school district called Stafford ISD, from elementary to high school. For my undergraduate career, I attended the University of Texas at San Antonio, and I majored in Psychology with a minor in Biology. Furthermore, I also played Division 1 volleyball while there, worked in the Office of the Vice President, and graduated within the Honors College.
- 是什么促使您上医学院的？
In high school, I realized I was constantly analyzing my peers behaviors, trying to understand and rationalize what made them act in a particular way, and I was always the friend that people felt comfortable enough to vent to about anything. Additionally, I was intrigued by the field of mental health, although during that time mental health was still fairly a taboo topic. That is what led me to choose to major in Psychology during undergrad and inspired my pursuit to become a Psychiatrist.
Moving forward, now that I am a medical school student, I see myself working with a pediatric population, but not within the field of psychiatry. I still advocate for improving and acknowledging the subject of mental health, but as I have grown, my calling has transformed.
So, in retrospect, encompassing my overall inspiration to go to medical school was my mother. In 2009, my mother lost her battle to colon cancer, and it had a profound effect on me in several ways. Reflecting on my life since she passed has allowed me to realize why I was inspired to attend medical school, and why I am now focused on working with a pediatric population. After her passing, I realized that I had so many influential people that composed the village that helped raise, teach, and guide me to be the woman that I am today. So, as a future physician, I aspire to be a component of a child’s village that is impactful to their life.
- What are/were your role models in medicine?
One of my role models that shaped my worldview of the field of medicine was my aunt, Augusta. She owned a home healthcare agency when I was in elementary school, and I vividly remember her taking me along with her on the weekends to visit her patients. I was able to observe how she interacted with her patients with so much compassion and empathy. That was my first encounter with the field of medicine, and she set an admirable example for how to care for others, early on.
- What is the most helpful advice you’ve received?
Take care of yourself! It is impossible to pour from an empty cup, so when you actively protect your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health, you are so much greater and committed to yourself and the people around you.
- What is your favorite thing about UTHealth?
My favorite thing about UTHealth is the collaborative environment. It spans beyond my peers to the faculty and staff. Everyone is always rooting for you to succeed, and there is no sense of competition between peers within my class. We all want each other to be intelligent, compassionate future physicians, so we strive to make sure each of us has all the resources to accomplish that.
- What unexpected challenges have you faced as a medical student and how did you overcome them?
A huge challenge I faced as a medical student was finding a desirable work-life balance that sustained my physical and mental wellbeing. I believe that it is quite easy to allow school to become the center of your existence, but life still goes on without you. I realized operating in that way was detrimental to my mental health, and that I was missing out on precious moments that could not be replaced. Therefore, finding the balance between it all significantly improved every facet of my life, especially my mental health.