This past Thursday, alumni and valedictorian of the class of 2014, Ahmar Alam, who impressively attended Georgetown University for undergrad, Rochester University for graduate school and is a current resident at Stony Brook in cardiology paid a visit to PMHS.

He held a discussion panel alongside a few of his colleagues, who are currently also in residency. Dr. Alam gave an informative presentation about the importance of medicine and was open to questions throughout.

His presentation titled “Medicine: The Whys and What Ifs”, was presented to the Medical CTE classes, alongside any other classes that volunteered. Alam’s presentation was transparent about the highs and lows of the medical field, such as the cost, potential debt, and its lengthy requirements.

The presentation was split into two main topics, the first being called “What Healthcare Should Look Like for You” and the second “A Path into Medicine as a Career.”  

The first section was dedicated to mobilizing the audience to inform them about the future of their own health. Amar went over the importance of having a primary doctor, early preventative measures against diseases or failures in the body and concerns with mental health in America.

Insight from his colleagues, Clara Chen and Nazia Starker, about the issues with diet trends such as intermittent fasting and Ozempic was incredibly impactful to the audience because diet trends are a popular thing among high schoolers.

Ellie Kaywood, a current junior at PMHS and a Medical CTE student says that she learned “Incorporating a healthy diet into my life currently, and for the rest of my life, impacts not only my physical health but also my emotional health.” 

The second section was devoted to focusing on the pathways of internal medicine and the requirements needed to succeed in medical school. Amar and his panel were extremely transparent about the timelines of medical school and how expensive it can become, explaining that depending on what route students take, it could be upwards of 11 years and $500,000.

However, it was prevalent throughout their various inputs, that Amar and his colleagues were passionate about what they do and that they truly do want to help others.

Kyle Montalvo, a senior who is attending Endicott College in the fall with his sights set on becoming a nurse says that “The medical professionals that spoke taught me valuable information of what the healthcare field is truly like and opened my eyes to what my future holds.”   

Amar Alam is an incredibly outstanding young man, who truly represents what can be accomplished with hardwork and dedication within education. His presentation and his colleague’s openness to answer any questions were inspiring to those in the audience and stressed the importance of medicine wherever and whenever.