The first week of medical school was an absolute whirlwind filled with new names, faces, excitement, and terror. In an effort to get to know the 79 strangers who had just begun a four-year long voyage with me, I decided to go to a social dinner with my classmates after our last lecture of the day. As it turned out, it was held at a sushi restaurant. Now, any Jewish person will be able to tell you how difficult it is to try to keep Kosher at a sushi restaurant due to the restrictions of not being able to eat shellfish, but I decided that social mingling took precedence over the particulars of my meal that night.
Of course, as predicted, it was a challenge, and as everyone was discussing what they were getting and wondering who would want to share dishes, my classmates asked me what I was getting, and I confessed that I was having difficulty deciding. Being the helpful people that they were, they attempted to give me suggestions, but with every one of them, I would have to kindly decline explaining that it wasn’t a Kosher option.
Finally, one of my classmates looked at me and inquired as to what I could or could not eat since I kept Kosher. I explained to her that there were numerous things but among the most prominent were no shellfish, no pork, and no mixing of dairy and meat. She then asked the most logical next question that I have been asked time and time again when this situation arises which was, “Why?” I then proceeded to explain, ensuring to give the Cliff Notes version, knowing that this subject was incredibly dull to most people, and she patiently listened to my explanation. What she said next deeply resonated with me; she said, “That’s really amazing! Can you tell me more?”
It was truly the first time in my life that someone did not scoff or judge or insult me for keeping Kosher but instead accepted that it was a part of me. It was a moment of feeling that it was okay to be different, to open up, to discuss what made me unique. I realized in that moment that this place was different from anywhere I had been before, that medicine was full of diversity, and with that came a message of acceptance for those who were different. It helped to empower me to be proud of being Jewish and ensure that it was incorporated in the formulation of the physician that I would become.
Melissa Gordon is a medical student in the Class of 2019 at The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. She graduated from The University of Arizona in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in physiology and a Bachelor of Science in psychology. Melissa enjoys writing in her spare time.