Dominic Jose
Although Shavertown native, Dominic Jose, has the closest of role models – an anesthesiologist mom – he never felt pressured to choose medicine as a career. Instead, his mother, Cynthia Jose, MD, let Dominic come to the decision himself. “She believes medicine is a calling, not a job,” Dominic said. “So she wanted to be sure it was what I really wanted.” Dominic wanted to be sure, as well, so he kept an open mind when he entered Villanova University as a comprehensive science major.
“My college major is considered a pre-med track, but my mind wasn’t totally made up yet,” he said. Service trips, both within the United States and in Mexico and Belize, revealed to Dominic that he felt deeply rewarded by helping people. This realization, coupled with his keen interest in science, ultimately persuaded him to pursue a career in medicine.
When it came time to choose a medical school, Dominic said he had no internal conflicts. He obtained his master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and so had firsthand knowledge of the culture at the school. “Geisinger Commonwealth is so student-friendly,” he said. “There are open doors everywhere. The faculty really listens, they really know the students and they want to hear your opinions.”
Dominic is now in his third year at Geisinger Commonwealth and wishes to pursue a specialty in anesthesiology, despite – or perhaps because of – his mother’s light touch. “She has never told me what to do, but I got to spend some time with her when I did a rotation at Geisinger Community Medical Center. She was so excited to be able to teach me – to share her knowledge. Plus, I was impressed by what she was able to do as an anesthesiologist – she has to gain the patients’ trust very quickly, and then be responsible for them when they can’t move or communicate. Anesthesiology requires great communication skills and it challenges you in physiology and pharmacology.”
Dominic also plans to pursue a fellowship in cardiology, which will provide specific training in anesthesia during cardiac procedures. He said he has no doubt that he will return to northeastern Pennsylvania once he has completed his education.
“My college major is considered a pre-med track, but my mind wasn’t totally made up yet,” he said. Service trips, both within the United States and in Mexico and Belize, revealed to Dominic that he felt deeply rewarded by helping people. This realization, coupled with his keen interest in science, ultimately persuaded him to pursue a career in medicine.
When it came time to choose a medical school, Dominic said he had no internal conflicts. He obtained his master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and so had firsthand knowledge of the culture at the school. “Geisinger Commonwealth is so student-friendly,” he said. “There are open doors everywhere. The faculty really listens, they really know the students and they want to hear your opinions.”
Dominic is now in his third year at Geisinger Commonwealth and wishes to pursue a specialty in anesthesiology, despite – or perhaps because of – his mother’s light touch. “She has never told me what to do, but I got to spend some time with her when I did a rotation at Geisinger Community Medical Center. She was so excited to be able to teach me – to share her knowledge. Plus, I was impressed by what she was able to do as an anesthesiologist – she has to gain the patients’ trust very quickly, and then be responsible for them when they can’t move or communicate. Anesthesiology requires great communication skills and it challenges you in physiology and pharmacology.”
Dominic also plans to pursue a fellowship in cardiology, which will provide specific training in anesthesia during cardiac procedures. He said he has no doubt that he will return to northeastern Pennsylvania once he has completed his education.
