Member Profile: Dave Swafford

Posted on March 23, 2007
Filed Under Volunteer Profiles

Dave SwaffordDave Swafford, a second year medical student at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) in Kansas City, attended the University of Kansas for his undergrad degree, where he studied biology.

Although he had an interest in the biomedical field, Swafford says he was not sure whether to go into research. After working for the KUMC Department of Pharmacology, Swafford says he realized he didn’t like it quite as much as clinical work (he was also volunteering at an emergency room doing clinical work at the time).

Currently, Swafford has his eye on an emergency room specialty.

“I like the pace and the fact that it’s unpredictable,” he says. “You get to deal with all types of medical problems and all types of patients, and to me that’s the most interesting. You get to practice an ‘older’ style of medicine and be a jack of all trades.”

As for where he plans to do his residency, Swafford says he doesn’t plan to stay where he is and instead wants to go “somewhere where he will see more trauma—somewhere with an established emergency medicine program.”

“I’m also looking for a three-year program rather than a four year, because by then I’ll be ready to be done,” he laughs.

Swafford has been volunteering at the same emergency room for five years now. Before medical school, he says he was assigned “busy work,” but now that he’s in medical school (and thus covered by his school’s malpractice insurance), Swafford functions as a provider in training, which includes conducting procedures under supervision, as well as working up treatment plans.

He works a couple of shifts a month, and Swafford says that although a lot of his colleagues have emergency medical technician or paramedic training (in part because they like the adrenaline rush involved in the work), he gets his adrenaline rush from running, water skiing, wakeboarding and climbing when he has the time.

Interestingly enough, Swafford has been involved with the Student Doctor Network since he was in high school.

“One day I was Googling stuff about medical school and found SDN and signed up,” he recalls. “Now, I spend way too much time on there!” Originally Swafford says he spent time in the pre-med forum, and now he’s moved on to the residency forum.

“SDN offers good premed info,” he says. “Like what you need to do for your application to be competitive. You get a good idea of what medical schools are looking for.”

He adds that most students have weak areas (he says his was his grades—a 3.3 GPA), so he got involved in clinical volunteering to compensate.

“You also get a good feel for what you’ll need to be able to talk about in the interview process,” Swafford adds. “What you’ll be asked, and what the interviewers will counter with.”

“As I’ve gotten into med school I’ve been networking more through SDN,” Swafford concludes. “I’m learning about residency programs and where I might fit in. With SDN, you can give yourself a good advantage. Without SDN, I wouldn’t have any idea about the inside track.”

Comments

5 Responses to “Member Profile: Dave Swafford”

  1. Nancy on March 25th, 2007 5:50 am

    Hi, Dave.
    Just saw your info at SDN and thought I’d share the gloom of KU’s loss last night. I had them going all the way (again) in my bracket. Each year I pick them, and it’s been too long since they’ve won NCAA.

    I used to work in the MD Student Records office at KUMC back in the 1970-90s.

  2. Ramon on March 25th, 2007 1:12 pm

    Hello Dave,
    I use to deliver blood products to KU when I was a runner for a community blood center in kansas city. Just wanted to share that little fact.

  3. Gabe on March 26th, 2007 10:43 am

    Hey Dave,
    How to do you like medical school at KU? How deeply are you involved with community service? Thanks for your time.

  4. Demetrius Simmons on March 31st, 2007 4:56 pm

    wow u got in with a 3.3?! See ur like a major inspiration

  5. Student Doctor Network on April 3rd, 2007 2:53 pm

    Continue discussion here:

    http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=387143

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