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Links between culture, disease interest Harold Hong, one of first in M.D./M.A. in bioethics program
Harold Hong talks with friends after learning of his match to a psychiatry residency at Duke University.
Continuing the Hong family tradition, Harold Hong hopes to fill the great shoes of those who have come before him. “My grandfather and parents were all doctors,” he said. “I learned to care for the sick, and I thought that was great. Later, I learned to appreciate that the concrete act of caring for others, in some capacity or another, is central to a meaningful life.” Born and raised in Cleveland, Hong always knew that he wanted to practice medicine. He aspires to be a child psychiatrist and is completing his psychiatry residency at Duke University. Hong’s attraction to child psychiatry steams from deeply held beliefs about the role of culture in childhood disease. “My interest in child psychiatry stems from my convictions regarding the importance of children and a curiosity regarding the connections between the culture and expectations of adults and their influence on how diseases of children are defined,” he said. Traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich., for college, Hong graduated from the University of Michigan with a philosophy degree. When medical school beckoned, he chose to return to the area in which he was raised. “I was drawn to Case because of its fresh approach to medical education, not to mention that it is just a very strong medical school,” he said. He was, and continues to be, extremely impressed with the caliber of the school’s education and staff. “Case has world-class activity in medical science and medical education, one of the most thoughtful and productive groups of bioethicists, and an outstanding reputation among collegial students,” he said. As a medical student, Hong was one of the first two students to participate in the M.D./M.A. in bioethics program. His studies in this area extended beyond the city limits of Cleveland. He took a one-year leave from medical school to study medical ethics at Duke during the 2003-2004 academic year. Hong keeps himself busy in his rare free time. He is very active in his church community, playing music for the services and helping with the youth group. “I actually grew up as a member of that church, and it has been a wonderful thing to be a member of a community for such a long time.” he said. – Lauren Pomykala |
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