VCOM 2021 Annual Report

ALUMNI

ALUMNI VIEWS

Become a Part of the Solution

Olutayo Sogunro, DO, MS, FACOS VCOM-Virginia, Class of 2012 Surgery, Georgetown University Hospital Breast Oncology Fellowship Program, Washington, D.C. Q: How are you serving VCOM’s mission and making a difference in the community? A: In residency, my program director always encouraged me to have a seat at the table, and if there is no seat, create a spot for yourself. What’s important is that we, as physicians, keep in mind that we are the face of medicine and must shape the medical field into the way we want it to look. One of the main topics I speak about is leadership in medicine: leadership in hospital administration, healthcare organizations and lobbyists on Capitol Hill. Many non-physicians are part of the voice of medicine, and as physicians, we need to ensure that we’re still a part of that conversation. We, as physicians, need to be involved in our communities and the organizational leadership of those communities. I am a member of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (ACOS) and American College of Surgeons (ACS). I became a fellow for the ACOS and was appointed to one of the national committees. Being a part of the committee ensures that my voice is heard, which is essential. As we progress in our careers, we need to stay in tune with what is going on because those decisions will affect students in the future. We’re speaking in support of the best healthcare for our patients. Have a seat at the table, and if there is no seat, create a spot for yourself.

the lock-down, many students who wanted to shadow could not do so. I thought to myself, “What is a way we can socially distance and still safely educate students about what different medical specialties do?” I wanted a way for students to interact with medical professionals with these varied medical specialties. Then I increased my scope to include not just medical professions but any profession. That’s how The Due Influence became a virtual career day. I wanted to help students access mentors for those who may not have someone to look up to. My parents weren’t in the realm of science, but they were educators and gave me the tools to set myself up for success. I have a lot of VCOM classmates involved. Usually, a guest will recommend one of their friends in a specific profession, and the network grows with each guest. One of the benefits that we provide at The Due Influence is a mentorship program where we link people in specialties with students. They can go to our website at thedueinfluence.com , click on education and sign up for a mentor. A: With all the negatives of 2020, there are positives as well, such as the development of a vaccine and conversations about how certain health disparities exist in specific communities. It is essential to have these conversations. Dean Jan Willcox reached out to me, and we brainstormed together on how to encourage these conversations. We wanted to ensure that we made an open, inviting and safe space for everyone to participate, because this is an issue that affects the health of everyone. Leaders must recognize needs in their community, and Dr. Willcox recognized that need. ■ Q: How did the Health Disparities Panel start?

Q: What is The Due Influence ?

To learn more, please visit: thedueinfluence.com

A: It is an online platform I started last year to reach out to students because of COVID and

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