Meet Alexander Richards, a medical student preparing for Match Day
For many students, March Madness is about college basketball. For medical students, the madness of March surrounds Match Day: The annual, highly anticipated event where graduating medical students across the country simultaneously learn which residency program they will train at for the next several years on their journey to becoming physicians.
In preparation for this monumental day, we spoke with Alexander Richards about his time at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and what he’s looking forward to as he takes this next step in his career.
What initially sparked your interest in medicine, and why did you choose Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine?
I grew up with an awareness of medicine because my mother is a primary care doctor, but my personal interest began in my AP Biology class during my sophomore year of high school. For my final project, I had to write about the pathophysiology of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and profile a cardiologist who specialized in its management. I remember vividly how impressed I was both by the physician's knowledge as well as the calm, confident, and compassionate manner with which he spoke to his patients. I loved the idea that one’s whole profession could revolve around understanding the human body and talking to others all day.
I feel very fortunate to have ended up at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. One of my good friends from undergrad started at CWRU School of Medicine right after college and completed her degree right when I began mine. During my gap years, she encouraged me to apply, always telling me how great an experience she was having. Outside of this, I knew little of CWRU and Cleveland, but I applied and was lucky enough to receive an interview. I remember how impressed I was by the interview day, which, even over Zoom, conveyed a sense of kindness, excitement, and excellence. That interview day was a perfect representation of what my time as a student would look like, and I am so glad to have been able to complete my training at such a strong and historic program.
What specialty are you hoping to match, and what drew you to it?
I hope to match into orthopaedic surgery. I had an idea that it might be a good fit for me coming into medical school; I had worked briefly with a hand surgeon in the nine months prior to starting, and it was really during my third year that I was assured it was the right field for me. Firstly, I knew I had to do something surgical, having spent time in the OR, nothing else matched the focus, energy, and teamwork of that environment. Among the surgical specialties, it was orthopaedics that attracted me the most for three reasons: I found the procedures to be engaging, efficient, and well suited towards my mechanical way of thinking; I really enjoyed the patients that I worked with in ortho, the goal of each procedure was almost always to get them back to doing something they loved, be it running, gardening, or playing with their grandson (to me, being able to help with that aspect of a patient's life is so rewarding); and finally, I loved working with the people who made up the field, whether attendings, residents, PAs, or scrub techs, everyone who gravitated towards ortho seemed to know how to work hard and have fun doing it.
What has been the most meaningful or defining moment of your medical school journey?
It is difficult to choose one single moment from the journey of the last few years, but two separate operations come to mind because they were early and powerful influences in my decision to choose orthopaedics. One, a trigger finger release. It took no more than 10 minutes, but when the patient woke up, we had them flex and extend their finger; for the first time in years, it moved freely, without locking up, and I can still remember to this day their eyes welling up, about to cry, as they said “thank you” to the surgeon. The other was a total knee replacement at the VA. I joined a skilled team, and in the 90-minute procedure, hardly a word of instruction had to be said. Each member anticipated the team’s next move, handing an instrument or moving a retractor before being asked. I became a part of this surgical machine, a team operating as one unit. We had entered a flow state, one of life’s greatest joys, and I knew in that moment (or rather reflecting back on the moment afterwards) that I would hope to emulate it many more times in my career. Only in rowing, a sport I pursued before medical school, had I experienced this phenomenon of many becoming one, where the individual melts away and everyone truly is locked in. Together, these showed me that in my career I will be able to help people, however small the intervention, in meaningful ways, and that I will have the pleasure of enjoying this process in the company of a good team working together.
How has CWRU prepared you for this next step?
CWRU presents itself truthfully as possessing a self-directed learning curriculum, and I feel that my growth in that arena will be the greatest strength I bring with me into residency and beyond. In medical school, I learned, over time, how my mind works and what tools and strategies best cater to its strengths and compensate for its weaknesses. After four years, I now know how to confidently identify the gaps in my knowledge, how to fill those gaps, and encode that new information into memory. This skill will serve me in all aspects of my future and is one I am grateful for having the time, freedom, and structure to refine. Furthermore, CWRU gave me unparalleled access to four amazing hospitals and an incredible university. These allowed me to explore my extracurricular interests in ways that I would not have anticipated as an incoming student, and helped me further form my identity by learning what excites and drives me. These experiences included but were not limited to the humanities pathway, entrepreneurship through the Veale Institute, and clinical research. Having this knowledge of myself will aid me in choosing how to shape and balance my future career.
How will you celebrate Match Day?
I will celebrate first and foremost with my family, who have been my biggest support system through medical school. My wife Maggie, son Oliver, dog Jasper, and I all look forward to where we will call home for the next five years. I also will celebrate with my parents, brothers, and in-laws who have been there every step of the way. Finally, I look forward to celebrating with my classmates who have all worked so hard to get to this milestone. I know I will remain lifelong friends with many and hopefully colleagues as well!
In one word, describe how you’re feeling as this milestone approaches.
Excitement!
