Wellness Student Spotlight: Sohenee Banerjee, M26
My name is Sohenee Banerjee, and I’m originally from the Bay Area in California. Growing up, I always saw myself as a California girl through and through, but life had other plans for me and brought me to Boston for Tufts for undergrad!
This turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. I’ve been lucky enough to have spent the past 8 years of my life as a part of the Tufts community both throughout college and medical school, and now I am so beyond grateful and excited to continue the next chapter of my medical journey in California! I will be graduating from Tufts with an MD degree, and pursuing an Internal Medicine residency at UCSF (University of California San Francisco)!
Who is someone who has had an impact on you during your professional degree program?
I think the world would look a lot different if each of us had someone who truly believed in us. I have been fortunate enough to have someone like Dr. Minutello in my life. I remember how out of place I felt during my first few weeks of medical school — afraid that I would never be able to measure up to my peers or become the kind of person the people who loved me most always believed I could be. During that difficult transition, Dr. Minutello was the first person who made me feel seen as a person first — not for my grades, accolades, or any of the external markers society often uses to define someone’s worth. Not only did he help me become the best student I could be, but he also inspired me to work with him and the rest of the OSA [Office of Student Affairs] team during the summer after my first year to explore how we could better support students not only in medicine, but also in dentistry and public health. Through that experience, he helped me discover my passion for community building through listening, supporting, and uplifting one another. Some of my most cherished memories of medical school have been giving talks about normalizing the importance — and necessity — of reaching out for help when you need it. Throughout all the changes and challenges of these past four years, Dr. Minutello has remained a steadfast compass and anchor in my life. He has continually encouraged me to push myself to become the best version of myself for my own sake, for the people I love most, and for my future patients, while also reminding me to stay grounded and connected to what matters most on a human level. I am so incredibly grateful for his kindness, belief, and unwavering support, and I will miss him dearly.
What is one activity you have done that contributed to your physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing over the course of your time at Tufts?
I think that no matter what field someone is in — especially medicine — it is so important to find something that gives you perspective, the ability to reflect, and feel like a normal human being in the greater world. This is when becoming present in the mundane becomes very meaningful. For me, that has always been going on walks in nature.
Being lucky enough to live right in the city, walking through the Boston Common and Public Garden has been one of the most grounding parts of my life throughout medical school. It has given me a chance to feel like I'm just a normal person out here in the world, separate from medicine. Whether it’s seeing children laughing and playing, couples picnicking together, birds flocking overhead, watching the sunset, chatting with a friend, or feeling the wind on my skin, these moments have reminded me of the beauty in everyday life. Being out in nature and feeling connected to something bigger than myself and the world of medicine has been such an important way for me to stay grounded and to preserve a sense of wholeness throughout medical school.
What is something you have done in your professional degree program that you are proud of?
I am most proud of working with my peers and the wonderful leaders of the OSA to help start the Peer Navigator Program — an initiative designed to help first-year students ease their transition into medical school by connecting them directly with second-year medical students. Even though the program did not have the longevity I had originally hoped for, it was incredibly meaningful to feel like I was giving back to my student community in a tangible way. That experience further sparked my interest in working with the OSA to give talks about the importance of seeking help during medical school, and even later inspired me to serve as the wellness representative for our class. Having the opportunity to take on all of these roles gave me the gift of feeling truly connected to the student body — advocating for my peers, getting to know the amazing people in the OSA and Office of Student Wellness (especially Snaggs) who work every day to help students have the best possible experience in medical school, and developing a stronger sense of identity not just as a medical student, but as a person within a larger community.
What is a challenging situation that you did not think you would overcome, but you did?
Honestly, for me, this was taking and passing STEP 1. I came into medical school through the Early Assurance Program at Tufts Undergrad, where we did not have to take the MCAT in order to matriculate into Tufts School of Medicine. While that was an incredible blessing at the time, it also meant that I had never before prepared for a cumulative, eight-hour exam of that magnitude. That period was one of the lowest points for me during medical school, because it was truly one of those times where I didn’t know if I had the ability to actually take this exam.
The only reason I made it through was because of the unwavering support of the people around me: my family, who cooked meals for me and continued believing in me even when I struggled to believe in myself; my peers, who were always a safe space through moments of stress and breakdowns, seniors who helped share study resources, and the OSA academic community (specifically Dr. Minutello and Brenna Jantzen, and even Dean Kuhlik who personally called me on my cell to check in on me) who tried in every way they knew how to help me stay on track.
As difficult as the process was, I did it – I took and passed the exam! This whole journey was so important to my growth, not only as a student, but also as a person. It taught me humility, resilience, and the importance of asking for and accepting help. It also taught me that I can do hard things! More than anything, it reminded me that even in one of the most individually demanding experiences of medical school, none of us truly gets through it alone.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in pursuing this career?
I think it has been challenging to accept the fact that I will not be able to show up for everyone that I love at all times in the way that I would like to. There have been so many moments that I have missed out, but I think being in medicine has also helped me be more intentional about the moments that I do show up for. It’s hard to “have it all” no matter what field you are in, but having supportive friends and family who understand that I am trying my best has been the greatest blessing.
What is something you wish you knew at the start of your journey? What is a piece of advice you would give your past self?
In medical school, there will always be a “next hurdle” to get through. Another shelf exam, another brand-new rotation, another surgical procedure you are too scared to get through. I found this quote in medical school that I really love: “The version of you that will handle that tough thing when it happens will be born into existence in that moment.” In essence, even if you don’t feel ready for something now, have faith that your future self will rise to the occasion! You are amazing, you deserve to be here, and you can do hard things!
What will you miss most about being at Tufts and/or living in Boston?
I will miss all the incredible friends, mentors, and faculty that I have had the honor of getting to know and work with! Having spent the past 8 years as a Tufts Jumbo, I truly believe Tufts is the kind of place where everyone wants to see each other win. The kind of supportive environment that Tufts harbors is truly the reason why I have gotten as far as I have today, and I am so grateful that life gave me the gift of getting to be here for so long! In terms of Boston, I will miss the Boston Public Gardens and Martsa On Elm (the best restaurant in the world) with all of my heart!
What is one thing you are looking forward to most in your life post-grad?
I am so excited to move back closer to my family (I’ve really missed my mom’s home-cooked meals) and connect with high school friends who are still in the Bay Area (and of course make new ones)! Living in San Francisco has always been something I imagined myself doing, so I can’t wait to see what kind of person I become over the next 3 years in the city of my dreams!