The AMA “Members Move Medicine” series profiles a wide variety of doctors, offering a glimpse into the passions of women and men navigating new courses in American medicine.
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On the move with: Shawn C. Jones Jr., a fourth-year medical student at University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky. He wants to specialize in otolaryngology.
AMA member since: 2017.
What inspired me to pursue a career in medicine: My family inspired me to go into medicine. Growing up I saw my mother, father, uncle and grandfather all work and enjoy their careers in medicine. I remember walking into my parents’ office when I was 12 years old and saw the two of them at work. I knew that this was the job for me. Ever since that day, I have been pursuing a career in medicine.
How I move medicine: I was a part of planning and implementing the inaugural nutrition and cooking class at the University of Louisville. It is a class that brings together students, physicians and chefs from the community to help each other understand disease processes and how nutrition and cooking can be used to heal.
Career highlights: I am a member of the admissions committee at my medical school. It is part of the distinction in medical education track there.
Advice I’d give to those interested in pursuing a career in medicine: Perseverance. The route to becoming a physician is different for every student; don’t compare your route to everyone else’s. The doubts and the obstacles that you overcome along the way will make you a better person and better physician in the long run. There is no perfect path.
How I give back to the community: I have a passion for preventive medicine and, when appropriate, halting and reversing disease processes with nutrition and exercise. These are values that I try to live out in my everyday life by exercising regularly and doing my best to eat in a way that fuels and heals my body. It is this passion that I bring to every encounter with the people around me.
Aspect of my work that means the most: The daily interaction with people from all different walks of life, and the team-based work that occurs in medicine every day. It is a joy to meet new and interesting people every day—people who change the way in which I interact with and view the world around me. Growing up and being part of teams all my life, it is refreshing to work in that environment every day.
My hope for my future of medicine: To start an ENT residency in July 2020 and train to be the best physician that I can be.
