Trading Music for Medical School

Dr. Sujin Lee, an immigrant from Seoul, Korea, initially moved to the United States to pursue a music career. After obtaining her degree, life had a different plan for her: marriage, motherhood, and a surprising yet fulfilling pivot to the medical field. 

In this episode, Dr. Lee speaks with Dr. Erkeda DeRouen about this journey, the challenges, and the triumphs of changing careers, balancing life as a medical student with being a mother, and the advantages of entering medicine from a non-traditional background. Her insights are not just motivational but are also peppered with practical advice for anyone fearing they might be too far along one path to venture onto another. 

Dr. Lee’s story offers encouragement and a reminder that sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to follow our heart, even if it leads us down an unexpected path. This episode is a testament to the notion that it’s never too late to recalibrate your career toward your passions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Switching Tracks Can Lead to Success: A non-traditional path can not only be possible but also incredibly fulfilling in medicine. Embrace your unique background—whether in arts, humanities, or another field—as it may offer you valuable insights and a distinctive advantage in your medical career.

How to Embrace Life Beyond Medicine: Dr. Lee's multifaceted career journey underscores the importance of versatility in medicine and opens up a panorama of possibilities outside the typical patient care settings.

Advocating for System Change: Dr. Lee feels the American healthcare system, particularly the complexities involving insurance authorizations and their impact on patient care can be vastly improved by focusing more on an efficient and patient-centered healthcare system.

Jump into the Conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to the Prospective Doctor 

[00:41] Introduction to Dr. Sujin Lee

[02:57} Transition from music to medicine

[04:00} Challenges she faced being an older medical student, and a mother

[04:42] The value of diverse backgrounds in medicine

[07:00] Juggling multiple roles as a clinician, researcher, and educator

[10:10] Beyond clinical practice; Dr. Lee’s legal & coaching roles

[15:34] Changing the American Healthcare System by reducing bureaucratic hurdles

[19:18] Final thoughts on perseverance and how to contact Dr. Lee

Resources:

You can find Dr. Lee on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sujin-lee-48360a6b/ 

Learn more about Dr. Lee’s Coaching: https://www.sujinleemd.com/ 

To learn more about how MedSchoolCoach can help you along your medical school journey, visit us at Prospective Doctor. 

You can also reach us through our social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedSchoolCoach 

Dr. Erkeda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordgram/ 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MedSchoolCoach