STUDENT NEWS: Class of 2024 Student Story Slam

Joseph Smittick (’24) captivates the audience and ends the night with an original poem drawing the parallels between medical school and climbing mountains.

Published in the ALUMNI JOURNAL spring 2023

Joseph Smittick (’24) captivates the audience and ends the night with an original poem drawing the parallels between medical school and climbing mountains.

Story Slam was a live storytelling event hosted off campus by the Loma Linda School of Medicine Resilience Committee on March 1, 2023, and sponsored by the Office of Physician Vitality, the Alumni Association, and the class of 2024.

The purpose was to provide an opportunity for medical students to gather and share their experiences during clinical rotations. Third year can be isolating, and this event offered a safe, casual space for people to reconnect and reflect with classmates. It was organized by Caryn Ausenhus (’24), Alphie Rotinsulu (’24), Simon Kang (’24), Rebekah Leigh (’24), and Amanda Shim (’24).

The night consisted of a variety of performances, including short stories, spoken word, poetry, and music. It covered themes from observations about the intricacies of the human body to memorable encounters with patients and to unexpected challenges of third year.

Class of 2024 Story Slam performers (from left): Tyler Humphries, Bryndilynn Goodlin, Joseph Smittick, Jedel Butoy, Alexandra Maidan, Austin Frye, John Hartman, Michael Lee, Douglas “Wyatt” Anderson, Gerald Chang, Noah Ford, Alphie Rotinsulu.

What made this night so meaningful is that, even though these stories were the unique experiences of the performers, many of the other medical students in the audience could relate on both a personal and emotional level. This highlights the power of storytelling and the universality of coming-of-age experiences. After the event people walked away with a greater sense of connectedness and camaraderie among the class of 2024.