Today we’d like to introduce you to Saie Joshi.
Saie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a medical student who moved to Texas from Ohio to start my premed journey at Baylor University. I now attend Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. My interest in medicine was cultivated by a trip I took to Haiti after the earthquake to volunteer with a disaster response team. I was only 12 at the time, but I was mesmerized by the expertise of the physicians operating in the most minimal conditions there. Seeing these makeshift tent hospitals, children my own age whose lives were completely turned upside down, and ultimately feeling a sense of helplessness throughout it all, made me realize my calling to medicine. I was fortunate enough to receive incredible support from family, namely my sister who had gone through the process a few years before me. But I realized shortly thereafter that not everyone was so lucky. I started my Instagram blog (@saiebear) and my podcast Brown Girl White Coat to provide support and mentoring to students who may not know a lot about the medical field or had been put off of it for some reason. I try to provide a realistic perspective of what it is like – mental breakdowns, struggles with imposter syndrome and all. I’ve had some incredible physicians on the podcast and have been able to connect and mentor so many of my listeners.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The struggles I faced when pursuing a career in medicine are the reason I decided to start a podcast and social media page. I wanted a place to share the kinds of benign sexism and racism I faced in the field with people who may care or may have experienced the same. Benign sexism can include anything from being mistaken for a nurse or hospital volunteer, while my male counterparts are mistaken for residents and attendings, to my ability and intellect being questioned in male dominated spaces. I bonded with fellow female medical students who had also had patients be inappropriate towards them or question how they were going to have children and family when the medical field is so demanding. And for black women, often, the sexism is not so benign. My black female friends have shared experiences of not being mistaken for nurses, but rather being asked if they’re there to clean patient rooms. I created this podcast to share personal experiences and anecdotes to bring light to these issues, and furthermore encourage minorities and women to find their own place in medicine. Listeners have told me that hearing my struggles is both comforting and a learning experience for them.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Brown Girl White Coat – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Brown Girl White Coat and my Instagram page highlight the “medical student lifestyle.” This includes me sharing everything from my favorite makeup products to my favorite Anki (online flashcard app) add-ons because women can care about both of those things. My Instagram page highlights my various hobbies like: singing, lifting weights, fashion and beauty to show people that even with medicine as a career, there’s so much more to life, and you truly have time to do the things you love. I am most proud of the fact that my social media presence is incredibly realistic. I have talked about my struggles with disordered eating and the pressures women face to be smaller and take up less space in the world. I have talked about my first year of medical school, during which I struggled to believe I deserved to be there. And on the podcast, I’ve also talked about feminism, politics, goal setting, and more. I always try to keep it 100 and present more than just a highlight reel of my life.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m looking forward to having more incredible physicians on my podcast and grow my presence in both the podcast space as well as Instagram. I would love to connect with more listeners, especially with the unprecedented amount of time I have on my hands due to COVID19.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/saiebear
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brown-girl-white-coat/id1447068401
Image Credit:
Sarah Barrientos
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