Medically Minded

Peace Eneh ’11, Nigeria
Major: Biology (pre-med)

What do you remember most about your experience at Concordia?

Concordia was where I became an adult and developed my sense of autonomy and agency. I discovered who I was and how I can best contribute to the efforts of improving the lives of people both in the United States and throughout the world.

The LeadNow program, a leadership development program for students that existed during my time at Concordia, was instrumental in helping me develop leadership skills that continue to guide both my personal and professional lives. Additionally, the International Student Organization created space to interact and build relationships with people from diverse backgrounds. I made lifelong friends at Concordia.

What is your current job and how did you acquire this position?

I am in my second year of anesthesiology residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. I completed my medical degree in 2018 at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Prior to medical school, I worked as a clinical research coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital. Also, between my third and fourth years of medical school, I took an extra year to obtain a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

What do you find fulfilling about what you are currently doing?

I love taking care of extremely sick patients as they undergo surgery. I am also excited that with my public health degree I will be working to increase the number of anesthesiologists in the regions of the world where there is limited capacity to provide safe and effective surgical and anesthesia care.

How did your student experiences prepare you for what you are doing today?

The liberal arts education is invaluable because it really opened my mind to worlds and ideas that I had no prior exposure to. It framed the way I think about the world and the challenges that we currently face. It also imbibed in me the desire to go out and influence the affairs of the world.

It was at Concordia that I realized that the best way for me to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others is by creating the systems that will allow people to access quality healthcare. The pre-med program is strong and it catapulted me into a great medical school.

How does your position connect with what you learned at Concordia?

My career goals line up perfectly with the idea that we all have the capacity to do work that will influence the affairs of the world.

Did you have a specific mentor at Concordia who was instrumental in your career journey?

My pre-med advisors, Dr. Julie Rutherford and Dr. Carol Pratt, as well as my research mentor Dr. Jennifer Bath, were all very instrumental. Also, my LeadNow mentors – Jess Almlie, Chelle Lyons Hanson, and Nathalie Rinehardt – believed in me and put me in positions that allowed me to build my leadership skills.

What would you tell young individuals who wish to enter your field to help prepare them for what’s to come?

Diversify your experiences so that you can set yourself apart from others. Medical school is becoming more competitive and the way to stand out is to bring something unique to the table. Having diverse life experiences is the ticket to helping with that. Also, find something that you enjoy and become the best at it. This shows devotion, dedication, and perseverance, which are all desirable qualities in a physician.

^{Published February 2020}