Jasnoor's Michigan Answer: Before starting at Michigan for medical school, I knew my identity outside medicine could still be maintained. I’ve felt supported approaching open-ended, ambiguous problems in healthcare ranging from medical device projects, finding a way to keep DJing and starting student initiatives. I’m thankful for the mentors that trust my vision and enable me to find a path forward in whatever challenges I embrace.

Jasnoor (he/him/his) lived in Canton, MI and graduated from University of Michigan College of Engineering ('21). Jasnoor's time at the Extracorporeal Life Support Lab and the VA Healthcare System spurred his fascination in the medical field and lead him to the path of a physician. During his time at Michigan, Jasnoor took part in student initiatives like Blue Design and found a true connection with his classmates. He encourages medical students to build a sense of community and always remember the unique narrative and experiences they bring to the table.

Follow Jasnoor on: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn 

What called you to explore a career in medicine? 
In a past life, I was an engineer. I worked one summer on designing automotive heat management systems for vehicle infotainment units at an audio electronics company (the touchscreen interfaces in your cars!). I was even a trained audio evaluator who listened and provided feedback on how immersive and effective sound systems were in new vehicles. This role aligned well with my interests in music and DJing, but I ultimately wanted to work closely and longitudinally with patients and reach the healthcare space with my future career.

When I returned to continue my engineering degree in Fall 2019 at the University of Michigan, I tried on a few new experiences. It was largely my time with the Extracorporeal Life Support Lab at Michigan Medicine and shadowing I had done within the VA Healthcare system in Ann Arbor that convinced me to switch paths to becoming a physician. I saw and took part in fascinating healthcare experiences that demonstrated the intrigue and life-long learning that medicine offers. This decision added one gap year and an extra undergraduate year to my education, but the additional time I spent evaluating whether medicine was right for me was absolutely worth it. I truly believe that however and whenever we decide to start medical school, we are neither late nor early to start the journey. We are all on time in our own respective lives!

What is one thing you wish you would have known before or while going through the medical school application process?
By the time you reach the application stage, recognize that your impact in medicine already has been valuable through your volunteering, shadowing, patient care roles and pre-medical experiences. While it can be so easy to fixate on one low test score or limited hours in a given area, have faith in the unique narrative and experiences you bring to the process, and really highlight what makes you unique and different from other applicants! Michigan will do you justice in providing your application a holistic review, and I (along with many classmates) never considered ourselves picture perfect applicants. Apply with your best foot forward!

What aspects of your clinical training have been most impactful and why?
In short, I recognize the naivete I bring to medicine as a career-changing student, but if we aren't willing to spend some time looking like foolish beginners, we would never eventually become graceful masters. Embarrassment is sometimes the cost of entry. I am a first-generation medical student. The first time I ever set foot in an Emergency Department was during my second year on clerkships. My clinical year has been a mix of humbling experiences yet absolutely novel encounters I had never expected.

I remember helping deliver my first baby after nervously asking the midwife to verbally guide me through each step in front of the patient. The next day, I ran into the father again and offered to help him carry up a new stroller and baby supplies in the morning as he remarked, “You seem like you’ve delivered tons of babies before!” It felt incredibly fulfilling to help and continue the patient support outside that encounter for the first delivery I had ever seen. I remember learning for the first time that with a tracheostomy tube, it’s actually difficult for patients to verbalize or speak. During my Transplant Surgery rotation, I found this out the same time I was telling a patient about a 3D-printed liver model I decided to give to him as a gift. I thought he was nonverbal, but then I realized he had a tracheostomy in place. The patient had a prolonged ICU stay after receiving a new liver. We both learned something that day. I am also thankful to the scrub-tech who let me step into her role with attending and resident permission when seeing how often I was trying to anticipate in the OR. For 10 minutes, I loaded needles and ties, passed instruments, and helped keep the flow of a Whipple procedure, albeit much slower than an actual scrub tech. Each opportunity for corrective learning or realization brings an opportunity for providing support to patients in ways I have never done before.

How do you manage your personal wellbeing as a med student?
I try to connect and start small conversations and introductions with random people I meet everywhere I go, whether that’s the gym or a random spot on campus to study. It especially helps build a sense of community despite the fact that I’ve mostly lived alone in medical school. My classmates are always willing to make the time for conversations or phone calls!

Clinical years can be tough and isolating with constantly changing expectations and consistent evaluation. I find my wellness through regular check-ins with friends who are residents or through hobbies like DJing, 3D-printing or dance that deliberately create space between medicine and who I am as a person. I try to regularly self-reflect and recognize my progress even if I am not meeting all the goals I set for myself.

Medical school has been made much easier with family close-by, including my Pomeranian-Poodle back at home named Sparkles.

What is your favorite place to go in/around the Ann Arbor area and why?
A lot of my friends know I rave about Ma Lou’s Fried Chicken in Ypsilanti. I’ve had the opportunity to show this to a number of medical students for a shared dinner or lunch. Another happy place of mine in Ann Arbor is the Audio Production Studios at the Duderstadt Library on North Campus. I love listening to and editing music here whenever I have some free time.

How have your fellow students at Michigan shaped your med school experience in big and small ways?
I learn a ton from my very own classmates. I am in awe of what they have accomplished, what they do so effortlessly, and even the unique questions they ask. Every so often, I write down the specific phrases they use in talking to patients, points of wisdom they mention in conversations, or take note of the qualities they demonstrate as something to add to my own repertoire. I consistently ask for advice and find mentorship from both under and upperclassmen as well.

Whenever I feel imposter syndrome, I try to remind myself that I’m working to improve my own skillset compared to who I was months ago and know that there is always support and people rooting for me here at Michigan.

Share another meaningful opportunity you've had at Michigan. 
In my first semester of medical school, I asked the organizers at our annual medical school dance show, Biorhythms, if I could perform a special halftime DJ set and play music throughout the show. They were more than willing to accommodate me, and it was incredibly easy to coordinate equipment and sound with all the stage managers. This turned into something I do regularly while helping create stage mixes for teams each semester. I love getting the crowd to sing along and interact during the show, and I always love creating and playing refreshing remixes of hit songs for the audience (see the photo above!). You can come see me (DJ IntrinSikh) at your next Biorhythms show!

Share an experience you are proud of with a specific organization, program or event. How has your participation contributed to your med school experience?
I became involved in Blue Design at the University of Michigan given my interest in designing low-cost, sustainable medical devices for underrepresented areas as a future physician innovator. The organization brings together students driven to innovate with researchers and physicians who have a clinical challenge they hope to address. The organization also hosts workshops to share knowledge on engineering, design and problem-solving skills while supporting independent student teams in creating medical devices across multiple disciplines. Despite being relatively new, we actively have students hard at work creating tangible outcomes! Some of these include: 

• An online educational platform to help medical students learn about microorganisms and antibiotics, akin to NeuroLogic for ID
• A training system to provide performance feedback when using orthopedic trauma equipment, presented at Health Professions Education Day in April 2024
• A collaborative workshop on prototyping with the Center for Surgical Innovation for the Michigan Surgical Innovation Accelerator course in Fall 2023