First Person: Why I became a School of Medicine tour guide
Kealani Unkel's campus tour was a major influence in her decision to attend VCU School of Medicine, in large part because of the close-knit community. Now, as an M2 and campus tour guide, she hopes to make the same impression on prospective students.
Kealani Unkel, Class of 2027 (Contributed photo)
This story was published in the winter 2024-25 issue of 12th & Marshall. You can find the current and past issues online.
During my tour as a prospective medical student, the guides really emphasized the idea of support and family among students, faculty and clinical leaders. I was taken aback by how genuinely friendly and supportive all of the guides seemed toward us as well as their peers, and knew immediately that this was something I wanted to become a part of.
As a premed in undergrad, there were lots of very competitive students who fit the “cutthroat” stereotype, and I expected to meet similar people in medical school. However, the guides assured us that students were always willing to help each other. After completing my first year of medical school, I can definitely say that I found this idea of support to be true.
For example, I was working on a research project and was assigned a task on an online platform I had never used. I had no idea how to even begin. One of the M3s at the time (who I’m sure had an extremely busy schedule) took the time to record herself giving me step-by-step instructions on how to use the platform to complete the task, which eventually led to the project being completed and our study being published. I was extremely grateful for her help and hope I have the opportunity to pay it forward in the future when I am an upperclassman.
Two of the most important aspects I try to emphasize on tours are the incredible support network we have here and the countless clinical opportunities we are provided due to being integrated into a large hospital system. Also, in our simulation center, we have an opportunity to get started with learning about and practicing Point-of-Care Ultrasound in our very first semester – that became one of my favorite stories to tell when I lead a tour.
A group of my friends and I signed up for ultrasound practice before our end-of-year assessment and were practicing abdominal skills. I remember trying for about five minutes to find the gallbladder and was beginning to get frustrated when one of my friends asked me, “What structure are you looking for again?” When I told her I was looking for the gallbladder, the standardized patient we were practicing on looked at me and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that’s what you were looking for. I actually have had a cholecystectomy, so I don’t have a gallbladder!”
For me, the tour guides were such an inspiration and made me feel so welcome and at home. I simply want to pay that forward.
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The School of Medicine communications team is always looking to highlight student success, faculty achievement, cutting-edge research and innovative initiatives around the MCV Campus. If you have an idea for a story, please submit your pitch to laura.ingles@vcuhealth.org.