Serving others first: How one TCOM student is driven to improve patients’ quality of life

November 2, 2021

By Steven Bartolotta

Medical school is easy…. said no one! 

This simple, light-hearted line was delivered by third-year medical student, Kendrick Lim, to students at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine White Coat ceremony in August. 

Lim was describing what everyone already knows – medical school is hard. 

Lim also wanted future health professionals to know that practicing medicine is a privilege, and in his optimistic and upbeat way, he was striving to make sure his classmates and future patients know that as well. 

“I have always tried my best to approach the challenge of medical school with gratitude and optimism because it is a privilege to study medicine – one that should not be taken for granted,” said Lim. “This mentality has changed my perspective on so many things – the good days are great and the bad days are good. The journey to being a physician is a long and difficult but rewarding one, and I choose to tackle everything from a positive perspective and enjoy the ride!” 

After graduation, Lim wants to practice emergency medicine, where split-second decisions save lives.  

Lim knows firsthand about making quick decisions. He had to make a split-second decision just to get into medical school. 

Lim had a graduate school position in biomedical engineering lined up at Texas A&M University, but then, he got a long-awaited phone call with an important message: TCOM had a spot for him. 

The clock was ticking for Lim who had to decide between choosing engineering to help create medical devices to save lives or osteopathic medicine to save lives?  

Lim followed his heart. Now, he is a third-year student at TCOM. He credits an emergency medicine doctor whom he shadowed at work for igniting his passion for medicine.  

“Witnessing the ability that a physician had to change a patient’s life within one hospital visit was remarkable,” Lim said. “The privilege of interacting with individuals on a one-on-one basis, serving them at their most vulnerable moments, and improving quality of life was exactly what I aspired to do.” 

His passions within medicine are broad patient education, medical education, and medical student advocacy. During his rotations and through the COVID-19 pandemic, Lim has also seen distrust arise between the health care system and patients. He wants to fix that.  

“I believe that the health care system should be a place of trust that patients can rely on for advice and guidance,” said Lim, explaining that the pandemic showed there is mistrust of the health care system. 

 “As a future physician, I aspire to tackle and repair the trust issues between the patient and physician,” he said. 

Lim is the President of the Medical Student Government Association (MSGA) and an advocate for his fellow classmates. 

Lim’s focus and drive remains steadfast as he balances countless lecture slides, late nights, and endless hours of studying for exams.  

“As a student leader and aspiring physician, I want others to know that my daily mantra is ‘medicine is a privilege,’” said Lim. “I strive to approach everything that comes my way with optimism. This is what I want to do, and I am forever grateful for the privilege to help others, serve others, and improve their health and quality of life. TCOM is a very special place that reminded me a lot of my undergraduate institution – a place where camaraderie and community is prioritized. Being a medical student at TCOM is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am extremely grateful to be here.” 

You can inspire students like Kendrick to pursue their dreams by contributing to HSC Student Scholarships today.

Donate to the Scholarships Fund

Graduate School is an investment. Parents save dollars to help loved ones fulfill professional ambitions such as becoming the family’s first doctor or pharmacist. Students juggle jobs and graduate studies to pay tuition bills.

Scholarships help ease the financial burden and bring peace of mind to students. Growing HSC’s scholarship pool would allow us to help more students.