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Freshman Starts on Path to Med School with EMS

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Posted on October 14, 2022

Thomas Becnel

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#FreshmanFocus is a series of stories on incoming students at the University of South Alabama.

Suhas Patil plans to become a doctor, like so many biomedical sciences students at the University of South Alabama, but he鈥檚 taking a different path with his pre-med schedule.

During his first semester, he鈥檚 doing coursework and training in EMS 鈥� Emergency Medical Services.

鈥淚 just wanted some medical experience in patient care,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a very common thing, and it鈥檚 ridiculously hard. I consider myself a good student, but the way EMS is taught is very practical, integrated with textbook work. That鈥檚 been extremely challenging.鈥�

Patil, who was born in India, moved to Alabama with his family when he was 4 years old. He grew up in Mobile and went to Davidson High School. During his junior year, due to visa issues, his family moved back to India for seven months, then returned to Mobile.

He wound up starting his junior year studying remotely at an Indian school 鈥� on Indian time.

鈥淚 was going from 9 p.m. at night to about 2 p.m. the next day,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had to sleep in the afternoon and go to school in the evening, so it was like time was flipped.鈥�

At Davidson High School, Patil ran cross country and played No. 1 singles on the tennis team.

鈥淭ennis was a major part of my life,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust the versatility of sports and the lessons you learn. You know, every point matters in tennis, and if you lose that one, the next one becomes even harder, so it teaches you something about procrastination.鈥�

Your graphic T-shirt says 鈥淪eek Discomfort.鈥� What does that mean?

鈥淭his is merch from a YouTube channel called 鈥淵es Theory.鈥� Their entire ideology is saying yes to things, stepping out of your comfort zone, making new experiences, because only then can you grow and mature as a person. They鈥檙e very cool. That鈥檚 kind of how I鈥檓 taking college, going out and making friends, being interactive, talking to people after class.鈥�

And you joined the Honors College at South. Was that because of the focus on undergraduate research, or is there more to it?

鈥淢y friend suggested the Honors College, actually, and I said, 鈥楽ure, I鈥檓 down with that.鈥� I want to do research and community service is important, too. The other day, I was supposed to be studying for a class, but I spent two hours tutoring non-English-speaking Spanish kids. I鈥檝e also signed up for tutoring at Wilmer Hall and being a PASSAGE USA mentor.

And you鈥檙e already busy. How many clubs have you joined at South?

鈥淚鈥檓 in five or six different clubs 鈥� I made a list, so I don鈥檛 forget any. Let鈥檚 see, I鈥檓 in the HCA, the Honors College Association, the HSAC, the Honors Student Advisory Committee, and AED, Alpha Epsilon Delta, the health professionals group. I鈥檓 also in RCC, the Rock Climbing Club, and ISA, the Indian Student Association. And I鈥檓 starting an EMS Club. Put that down, so more people will join.鈥�

What were your groups in high school? What was your most important one?

鈥淚 did Model United Nations all through high school. My senior year, I was the Security Council delegate for the United States. It鈥檚 all about current events, so it鈥檚 very interesting.

鈥淭he first time I went up to speak, my voice was shaking 鈥� I could hear it, but I couldn鈥檛 stop it, which was embarrassing 鈥� because I was so nervous, because I was so excited to be there. But it was great. We ended up winning an award as the second-best delegation.鈥�

You want to be a physician. Do you know what you鈥檇 like to specialize in? 

鈥淚鈥檓 interested in oncology, oncology or surgery. In middle school, I shadowed a researcher at the . It was eye-opening to see how cancer advances, how it basically makes our own bodies work against us.鈥�

Outside of school, what are your big family activities?

鈥淓very summer, or every other summer, we go to India. We visit our grandparents and all our relatives. We go hiking once or twice a year. We鈥檒l go to Tennessee or northern Alabama. My dad likes driving, so it鈥檚 always a road trip, which is fine with me. Bring a good book, read it along the way, that鈥檚 my thing.鈥�

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