Student Life

Name: Sean Pirkle

Year of study: MS4

Why Wellness in important to me: Going into medical school, I think I recognized that my world would get both bigger and smaller. I knew I would be introduced to new information, meet new faces, and gain a whole new skill-set. At the same time I could envision my circles starting to shrink: life would get busier studying for tests, preparing for cases, and conducting research. Looking back as a fourth year I know this is true, and I think that’s okay. But to me, wellness is about being able to take a step back and enjoy the ride.

Why I'm on the committee: I joined the Wellness Committee to foster a sense of community here at Pritzker because we are all going through something that is inherently stressful - all of our circles are shrinking. Through this organization, I saw an opportunity to play a role in promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being in our community. I think this is important because engaging life outside of the hospital prevents burnout and at the end of the day re-energizes the passion we all feel for taking care of patients. 

Fun fact: I’m an avid home gardener and am currently growing an avocado tree from a pit I planted last year!