June 3, 2024 — Amid the textbooks, study sessions, and clinical rounds at the University of Florida College of Medicine, bonds of friendship quietly weave themselves into the fabric of daily life. From shared moments of triumph to whispered words of encouragement in times of doubt, the journey through medical school is enriched immeasurably by the presence of a best friend or tight-knit group.
In the College of Medicine community, the spirit of Gators supporting Gators is palpable, echoing the alma mater’s promise that “Neath the Orange and Blue victorious, our love shall never fail.” This ethos extends from the football field into classrooms and clinics, where peers become friends and family.
Meet a few College of Medicine besties and hear how their heartfelt connections help shape the Gator nation experience.
Soul Sisters
Left, Shahd Mohamed, and right, Siena Vadakal.
A serendipitous shared moment of tardiness brought rising fourth-year medical students Siena Vadakal and Shahd Mohamed together. Both arrived a little late to their first day of orientation, which led to them sitting next to each other and never parting ways since.
“We were day ones!” Vadakal said. “She’s a weirdo like me, so it wasn’t hard to grow our friendship. It’s an absolute blessing to have someone in this journey who is there for me like a rock. Nearly every day of third year, we would come home and debrief like sisters.”
One first-year memory in particular still makes Mohamed laugh.
“We both ended up studying late at the Harrell Medical Education Building the night before our first medical school exam in genetics,” she said. “Before leaving, we went and turned off the lights in all the rooms of the HMEB to not waste power. Little did we know, they’re motion sensor activated!”
CLG Crew
Pictured: Nick Abchee, Jean-Pierre Bontemps, Elena Encinas, Eric Han, Candice Keogh, Maria Lakdawala, Sam Marquina, and Rogina Rezk.
For rising second-year medical student Elena Encinas, weekly meetings with her Collaborative Learning Group, or CLG, led to a close friendship with seven of her classmates. Long hours reviewing material together gave rise to sharing meals, extracurricular adventures and a very active group chat.
“My fondest memories are from the silly birthday traditions we’ve formed,” she said. “Every birthday week, we get a cake, card, and wear party hats throughout the three hour CLG meeting. I love being able to celebrate every member and show them how much they matter to us.”
“Having their support means the world to me in medical school. From helping me understand complicated physiology concepts to when I had a family emergency in the middle of exams, my CLG was always there. I’m so blessed to have a group of people I can be myself with and call my best friends beyond my time here.”
Fab Five
From left to right, medical students: Isis Sweeney, Olivia Etienne, Jakob Hamilton, Nastia Tishena, and Nicky Trieu.
Rising fourth-year medical student Nicky Trieu found close friendship with four of her peers outside of the classroom. She and Olivia Etienne, Isis Sweeney, Nastia Tishena and Jakob Hamilton meet up at least once a month for brunch, in addition to fun traditions like eating at Chuy’s after every shelf exam and Friday game nights at Hamilton’s.
“My fondest memory of the group is the time we went to Rainbow Springs right before the start of third year, where Isis and I did most of the kayaking while Jakob and Nastia relaxed in the back on their floaties,” she said. “These are my best friends, and I would not be able to go through medical school without their support. No matter where we’re ending up, this friendship is for life.”