Just as Mary Masterman was about to graduate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she felt the call to practice family medicine. After applying to several medical schools, what resonated with her about Vanderbilt University was the supportive culture.
“It’s an exciting time to be here,” Masterman says. “Vanderbilt is putting an emphasis on improving the curriculum in a way that I think most medical schools haven’t. They’re really taking a big step in trying to make it better for students in the future.”
A Canby Robinson Society scholarship enabled the Oklahoma City resident to attend Vanderbilt and pursue her dream of practicing family medicine without the worry of impending debt.
“It’s made a huge difference for me,” she says. “I’m going to be able to go into an area of medicine that’s really meaningful to me. The opportunity I was given allows me to give back to all the patients that I serve now and in the future, when I won’t have the worry of a lot of debt on my shoulders.”
Masterman is already very involved in patient care at the Shade Tree Clinic, a student-run, free clinic that provides primary care and social services to a medically underserved community. She has served as a social worker and gained experience with obtaining resources for patients. She also counsels patients through a new weight loss program, which is a skill she’ll need as a primary care physician.
“It feels really great to help people with something as simple as an anti-reflux medication that can really change their life going forward,” says Masterman. “It’s nice when I can actually make a difference in the lives of patients.”
Additionally, Masterman’s scholarship has allowed her to do research in biomedical informatics. She is currently working to find ways to help patients better engage with their doctors through online portals like My Health at Vanderbilt.
“My experience at Vanderbilt has changed me to make me a better person. It’s allowed me to learn so much about medicine, so much about how to serve patients, and I’ve been able to take part in in a lot of leadership activities that have given me a lot of confidence. I’m very grateful to the donors who made it all possible by providing me with a scholarship.”