Relationships in med school pt 14: so you think you know Keais Pope

An interview with the one and only, Keais Pope.

Ken: Tell me 3 things about you.

Keais: It's my birthday. 

My core values are making people happy and making people laugh. That's why I wanted to be a doctor. To bring happiness and healing into people's lives. 

I like being the silly goofy guy, that's just my personality. I was never one of the cool kids, I just wanted to be me, a guy who wants to have fun. I try to keep it so it's not too obnoxious, but there's definitely a little bit of Patch Adams in me. 

One more, one of the reasons I want to be a doctor is that when I listen to someone, that's the only thing I'm focused on. I like listening and trying to help people.

Ken: So you like Patch Adams, are you interested in pediatrics?

Keais: It changes every other week, last week it was emergency medicine. I'm interested in so much, so I'm excited to find out. I love trying different things, especially food. I'm such a foodie. But yeah, I want to try everything. 

Ken: Favorite restaurant? 

Keais: I really love Speakeasy on East Bay. The cocktails are fantastic, lots of whiskey and gin. I love that old fashioned 1930's feel to it. Sometimes I wish we had more of that now. For my birthday I treated myself to a straight shave and it was the best feeling ever. 

Ken: So what were you doing before MUSC gave you the call?

Keais: Well I graduated from UMass in 2010, and I applied to med school back then but I didn't get in. I was so distraught. I had to take a year off and re-assess, so I spent the next few years as a tech in the ER at Cambridge Hospital. Urban emergency medicine is very fast and you get to see a little bit of everything. Lots of trauma and homelessness. I got to get my hands dirty, and I'm really glad about all that.  

It was the best decision I've ever made. I learned so much about medicine but also about myself. Meeting new people, going on dates, living life. I had a chance to learn about who I am. 

Ken: So what sorts of things did you learn about yourself?

Keais: I learned you have to laugh at your job. You have to wake up wanting to go to work but you also have to laugh because otherwise a job like medicine will eat you alive, and we need to survive. But that's more about medicine, so back to myself. I would say I learned how to be an adult. Meeting people cold turkey and putting myself out there was a challenge. I started figuring out what my values were. It was kind of a spiritual journey that I'm still currently on, but learning what I want out of life was a great experience. 

Ken: How is your spiritual life affected by med school?

Keais: I grew up in Sunday school, I was confirmed and all that. I still go to church here and there, but recently I've gotten into Buddhist philosophy and it's really fascinating. I keep this rock in my pocket. [pulls out rock] Every time I put my hand in my pocket and touch the rock I force myself to think of something I'm grateful for. I've had this rock for years. It keeps messing up the washing machine. [laughs] 

There's this cool story I heard that I always connect with this rock. When we're born you're falling, and a giant clump of rock falls with you. You're falling next to this rock, and we feel the need to cling on to this rock as if it will save us from falling, but it's falling too. And this rock reminds me of what I love in life, and not to cling to all the frustrating petty things we all obsess over. We're all falling. We're all going to die, and clinging to rocks isn't going to save us. 

It's an interesting spiritual journey I'm on. I need to do more yoga. I've been trying to mediate more, but med school has made this spiritual journey interesting, or at least potent, maybe that's the right word. It's a struggle to commit to it, but I really enjoy it. Med school has forced me to build my spiritual side and focus on balance. Academic Keais, athlete Keais, performer Keais. I'm constantly juggling. I need my artistic and spiritual part. I loved performing at the SLI Haiti fundraiser. I need that sort of thing in my life. 

Ken: Awesome, that's really cool to hear. Any last things you want the class to know about you?

Keais: I'm just a sincere guy. I don't have any arguments with anyone, and of course I have my bad days, but I just love finding out more about people. That's why I love this. All we talk about studying and exams, but I love talking about the philosophical side and learning who people are. I want our class to come together more as a class. I love adding more people to my life, I'm never satisfied with a set group of friends. And don't take your life too seriously. 

Ken: preach.

see you on the other side,

from ken

who should I interview next?