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Andrew Harris turns obstacles into learning experience
Graduating from medical school marks the fulfillment of a dream for Andrew Harris.
PHOTO BY GREEN STREET STUDIO Class of 2005 graduate Andrew Harris draws on personal experience when he offers words of encouragement for anyone chasing a dream: “Do not believe for one second that you cannot fulfill your dreams. …Keep going, rely on your loved ones and teachers for support, and cut through any roadblocks that come up.” Harris experienced a few roadblocks of his own on his way to becoming a doctor. Originally, he planned to become a mechanical engineer through studies at the University of Cincinnati. When he determined that the role of physician was a better fit for him, he transferred to Bowling Green State University, near his Toledo home, to major in biology. In 1998, a semester into his studies, however, acute myelogenous leukemia was diagnosed in him. After completing multiple rounds of chemotherapy, he received a stem cell transplant from his sister. The therapy and surgery weakened his immune system, forcing him to take off an entire year of school, but ultimately he earned his degree in May 2001. Today, Harris is free of cancer, having been off of immunosuppressive therapy since November 2000. He attributes his success in surviving this potentially fatal illness, in large part, to the continued support of his family and to his martial arts training. He is a third-degree black belt in Budo Taijitsu (Ninja martial arts) and has been teaching it twice weekly since his second semester of medical school. Additionally, the summer after his first year of medical school, he and a classmate taught martial arts to inner-city children through a curriculum they had developed, and he has demonstrated the martial arts as part of the Healthy CMHA program of the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. He sees these lessons as ways to teach the children respect for others, conflict resolution and good health practices. “I also spent an elective with the Office of Urban Health, researching and writing a paper in an attempt to rally physicians to reach out and reconnect with their communities outside the hospitals and clinics,” he said. Among his other extracurricular activities, Harris has taught women’s self-defense courses and soldier close quarter combat training and has volunteered at The Gathering Place, working with children whose parents are battling cancer or have died from the disease. Harris said that his battle with cancer has taught him countless lessons about being a physician and a human being. “I am still learning lessons from my experiences as a cancer patient,” he said. “I have learned about the value of life and living each day to the fullest. I have learned to be compassionate and understanding. Through my interactions with multiple doctors, I learned how – and how not – to interact with patients, especially when dealing with difficult subjects. I believe I have gained a deep-felt understanding of the fear and powerlessness a patient experiences when faced with a potentially lethal disease. I feel I understand what a patient goes through when things don’t work out as well as hoped and how to deal with disappointment. It has also taught me the resilience and power that children have – even in the face of death.” Harris plans to apply this knowledge throughout the course of his pediatrics residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. “Our children need to be protected and raised properly; I see no better place to affect change towards these goals than in pediatrics. I can encourage healthy lifestyles for these children and strive to be a living example for them, and at the same time I can help redirect parents who are missing the mark with the upbringing of their children.” Now, he and his wife are honing their parenting skills raising their first child, whom Harris describes as “a true living miracle” since “I was told I would not be able to have children after having testing done.” Connor was born in October 2003. Harris is unclear of his ultimate career goals. In light of his own medical battles, he said he may specialize in hematology/oncology, but also of interest to him are behavioral pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and policy. One thing of which he is certain, however, is his desire to practice medicine at a large academic center, where he will be able to train future medical students and residents. “I can teach these aspiring doctors valuable lessons on what it means to be compassionate yet stand for justice.” – Lauren Pomykala |
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