Seye Raymond

Seye as a medical student

Pronouns: She/her/hers

Seye as a child

• A few basic facts about me:

  I’m currently a medical student at John Hopkins University School of Medicine.

• What kind of identities do you inhabit?

  I am a black woman and an immigrant. I immigrated to the US from Nigeria at a young age. I am proud of my background and how it has influenced my view of the world.

• The path to medicine is not easy. Can you tell us why you decided to pursue it?

  I chose to pursue medicine because of the inequities in the field and the way that certain groups often received worse care than others. I hope to be an advocate for marginalized groups and dedicate myself to my patients as an ally.

• Can you describe a challenging moment in medicine that made you rethink your career path?

  My surgery rotation was particularly challenging for me. The hours were long, I barely had time for self-care, and I often did not feel like a productive member of the team. I found this very discouraging and it caused me to question my potential as a physician. I was able to overcome this through finding aspects of the rotation to appreciate and devote myself to. I enjoyed going to clinic and channeled my energy into talking to patients whenever I had the chance and making sure their concerns were addressed. This allowed me to recognize how much I enjoy advocating for others.

• How do you see a career in PM&R as advancing equity?

  Equity is invaluable and something that we must continue to strive for in all fields, not just medicine and not just PM&R. While we cannot change the world in one fell swoop, it's important to make a difference wherever you can. I predict that my field to make a difference will be in PM&R. It is important that our provider population is as unique as our patient population. In order for that to happen, there need to be systems in place to support people from underrepresented backgrounds. Representation in Rehab is a group that can spark this kind of change.

• Can you tell us a little bit of your aspirations - either for your career or for the field of medicine (if you’re a medical student?)

  I am still open regarding my career path. One thing that drew me to PM&R was how broad the field is. Regarding subspecialties, I am currently interested in brain injury medicine, spinal cord injury, sports medicine, and palliative care. I am excited to explore more of PM&R and see where my experiences lead me!

Last updated 05/2022