25
COM Outlook . Spring 2015
and is involved with several other
cancer advocacy groups.
NSU…and Beyond
After graduating from Yeshiva
University with a bachelor’s degree
in Sociology in 2011, Bral returned
to Los Angeles for about three years.
During this time, he worked at a
hospital and took additional science
courses to enhance his chances of
getting into medical school. He then
applied to graduate school and was
accepted to Georgetown University’s
School of Medicine in Washington,
D.C., earning a Master of Science in
Physiology and Biophysics with a
concentration in complementary and
alternative medicine in 2014.
“As you can imagine, I utilized
many different complementary
medicine modalities during my
cancer experience,” he said. “As a
result, I felt I could not really be the
best physician and clinician for my
future patients if I was unable to
understand the intersection of con-
ventional and complementary and
alternative medicine.”
Interestingly, Bral’s desire to
become a physician can be traced
back to some of his earliest childhood
memories. “I have always wanted to
be a doctor,” he admitted. “There are
pictures of me as a little kid in surgi-
cal scrubs because I loved playing
doctor. As a child, I loved the idea of
being a doctor because I wanted to be
able to take care of and help people.”
In terms of determining whether
to pursue a D.O. or M.D. medical
school track, Bral admitted to being
on the fence regarding the deci-
sion. But that all changed when
he visited NSU-COM and had an
opportunity to interact with several
of the college’s current students.
“Something just clicked within me
during my time here,” he explained.
“I just knew that this was where I
belonged. What is so amazing about
the D.O. program here at NSU-COM
is that I am learning a skillset I will
have forever—and that I don’t need
anything more than a table and
chair at times to be able to practice
and diagnose.”
Because he’s a first-year student,
it may be a bit too early for Bral
to declare what area of medicine
he’ll pursue when he graduates in
2018, although his focus is indeed
narrowing. “I think my decision
is going to change a number of
times, but at this point I am look-
ing toward doing an anesthesiology
residency track and then going into
pain management.”
Although the physical and emo-
tional journey he has been on since
being diagnosed with cancer has
been an arduous one, Bral is aware
that the experiences he’s endured
will only serve to make him a more
compassionate and effective healer.
“Because I have lived through and
dealt with the emotions that many
of my future patients will be feeling,
I will be able to recognize them,”
he explained. “I don’t think that is
something many doctors can do—see
and feel the emotions their patients
are feeling and know exactly how to
approach the situation.”
In his role as a volunteer with
various cancer organizations, Bral
has been able to successfully put
these skills to the test, which is why
he looks forward to the day when
he can do the same for his patients.
“Several years ago, I was matched
up with a young man who had been
diagnosed with something similar
to what I had,” he explained. “I
visited him often, but he was very
much keeping me at a distance
because he was scared. One day,
when it was just the two of us in
his hospital room, I told him to let
it all out. He just looked at me and
said, ‘What are you talking about?’ I
told him to let everything you have
been thinking about, all of those
emotions that I see on your face, the
things you’re afraid to say in front
of your parents, your brother, or all
of your friends…just let it all out,
here and now.
“He sat in silence at first, but
then one tear trickled down his
face,” added Bral, who returns to
Los Angeles for annual follow-up
visits to ensure his cancer remains
in remission. “Then the dam opened
and he was crying uncontrollably
as he unleashed all his frustrations
and fears. He wasn’t even aware it
was occurring, just like his parents
weren’t aware of how he was feeling.
I could see he needed somebody to
talk to and that he wasn’t going to
be able to allow himself to let those
emotions go unless someone gave
him the space to do that.”
Based on the numerous physi-
cal and emotional travails he has
endured on the road to becoming
a medical student, it’s a pretty safe
bet that Bral’s future patients will be
the exceedingly fortunate recipients
of his empathetic nature and broad-
based medical acumen.
“Because I have lived through and dealt with the emotions that many of my future patients will
be feeling, I will be able to recognize them,” he explained. “I don’t think that is something many
doctors can do—see and feel the emotions their patients are feeling and know exactly how to
approach the situation.”
