On Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 6 P.M., the Honors Program –– in collaboration with the Pre-Medical Society –– welcomed La Sierra University and Honors Program alumnus Dr. Ivan Rybkin. Dr. Rybkin is an attending OB/GYN at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital and associate professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.
Dr. Rybkin ever so graciously took the time to come and give a short presentation about the road to becoming a physician. The symposium took place in one of South Halls classrooms which, according to Dr. Rybkin, still smells the same as it did when he was a student! Part of his presentation focused on the monetary realities of residency and becoming an attending, which I found to be the most interesting since that portion is not often talked about. Other topics included how he balances his work life and his personal life. Dr. Rybkin shared narratives of home remodeling with his wife and car restoration as some of his favorite pastimes when he is not delivering babies (and might I add, what a lovely backyard he has). The Q&A portion was also particularly helpful as many students asked questions regarding the application process and, more specifically, about interviewing. I paid extra close attention to what Dr. Rybkin had to say during this part since he has been part of the application committee for LLU in years past.
The three main takeaways that I received from Dr. Rybkin’s presentation were 1.) Don’t be weird during your interview, 2.) The sacrifice pays off, and 3.) It’s going to suck at times, but it won’t always be that way. Throughout the hour-and-a-half we spent with him, Dr. Rybkin was incredibly personable, and he made it feel more like a conversation than a lecture, which was very much appreciated. Overall, I was incredibly grateful to be able to attend the presentation and received another perspective on the road to becoming a physician, especially from someone who, at least academically, has already walked the path that I hope to walk one day.
–– Isaac Estrada (Biomedical Science, Class of 2023)