Era Singh

 

Erawadi (Era) Singh is many things: a tutor of Tibetan monks, a DJ, an actress, a speechwriter, a lover of all things pop culture related, a second year medical student, and now she’s Touro COM Middletown’s 2016-2017 Student D.O. of the Year. After a rigorous nomination process, a committee of her fellow colleagues and professors have chosen Era for this prestigious award.

 

Dr. Stephen Jones, Touro COM - Middletown’s Preclinical Dean, states that “Era would gladly sacrifice the A for a B if it meant that everyone in her class ‘got it’ and did well on their exams.  If she is this way as a student, and her schoolmates are benefitting from it, imagine what she is going to be like as a physician. Imagine the difference that she will make in her patient’s lives!”         

 

Era, a native of Orange, New Jersey, has made an impact in the daily lives of everyone at Touro COM - Middletown. She has served as the President of PsychSIG, the Vice President of Gender in Medicine, head teaching assistant for the Anatomy Department, and a Sigma Sigma Phi Teaching Assistant Review and Tutoring Program Coordinator. Amongst other committees, she also serves with the Social Committee, where she is dedicated in helping her fellow colleagues have some form of stress relief and motivation through the rigors of medical school.

 

Fellow students say that “Era organizes the majority of the first and second year peer academic support programs at the school while managing a full D.O. student workload and being there for a phone call from any student who needs help any time of the day.” Despite her heavy workload and numerous responsibilities, Era is always positive and has a good spirit towards everyone she meets.

 

Era’s selflessness and compassion shines through as a volunteer for various community service events during her time as a medical student, whether it be serving breakfast to the homeless population in St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen, to recruiting (and participating as) student volunteers for the Walk To End Alzheimer’s event, or volunteering to manifest Amelia Stutman’s efforts to unite both the Middletown and Harlem campuses to march in New York’s annual PRIDE parade in solidarity for equal care for patients.

 

Stephen Jones, Preclinical Dean, also states that “Era’s energy is unreal. At first you might wonder how she gets it all done. Then you speak to her and you feel that energy. Then you understand. She’s thrilled to be where she is in life. The energy comes from learning osteopathic medicine, and from supporting the college, her fellow students, and the profession.”

 

Era continues to support her fellow students and the school while advancing on to the national portion of the student DO of the year competition, having shot video responses for the national selection process in different parts of the school, showcasing various departments, using students as actors, and celebrating her classmates’ achievements in everything from soccer games to research. She has stated that if she’s lucky enough to be chosen on the national level, her plan is to share anything won with the student(s) she had nominated as deserving of the very same award. 

 

So whether she’s copywriting for New York indie rock bands, editing residency and fellowship applications for friends, or baking desserts for a school event, Era can always keep ‘being a good friend’ and ‘loving Touro’ high on her list of qualities and we hope to keep her close to our hearts.

 

(As requested by Era herself, shout out to the other members of the committees she is a part of: PsychSIG E-Board – Lawrence DeBellis, Mariah Carroll and Rushi Patel. Gender in Medicine – Amelia Stutman, Yamini Chalikonda and Suhaira Choudhury. Sigma Sigma Phi TA Review and Tutoring Program Coordinator – Donya Nazery. Social Committee – Divya Hariharan, Alexus Taddaonio, Umberto Napoletano, Stephen Vorenberg, Amanda Sawyer, Sara Shteyman and Shanda Lewis.)