Student Profile: Andrea Batra, Sports Medicine Club President

By Peyton Pflug, KLN '19

 

Where are you from, and how did you end up at Temple?
I am from Seattle originally. I chose Temple because I shadowed someone out in Seattle and I was asking him about what he thought was the best school. He told me he noticed that the most prepared residents he knew were all coming out of Temple. I thought that was a good way to make my decision because if you’re coming out of school prepared then you’ve received a great education. I also knew being in a city was important to me, so I came to Philadelphia to interview and loved it!

What’s in store for the Sports Medicine Club this year?
Right now, we are working on finding events to volunteer for, such as the Susan G. Komen three day walk where we volunteer in the medical tent. This event is particularly great for the 2nd year students because it gives them the opportunity to get more hands-on experience that they haven’t received yet in their classes. We will also be conducting foot screenings at the Special Olympics, which are coming up in November.
One of the things I am most excited about this year is introducing a new sports medicine journal club. This club would allow students to explore topics in sports medicine that they want to learn more about.
Another big goal for the club is to provide opportunity for hands-on work and community outreach. While meetings are extremely productive and helpful, I find that you can learn even more when you experience it first hand on the job. As we volunteer at more events, students will be able to study athletes’ movements and lifestyles, and truly get involved at a deeper level.
Finally, we will be having a clothing sale fundraiser for the club. At students’ requests, we want to work on getting more Temple podiatry apparel. We have so much pride for both our school and our profession, so we want to be able to show that off and spread the word.
 
What are some of the challenges you encounter as a student leader?

I’ve gained leadership experience throughout my years in school, and one of the challenges I’ve faced is learning how to be both hands on and hands off. An important thing for me as a leader is making sure everyone involved is carrying out tasks that not only the club is proud of, but they can be proud of as a personal accomplishment as well. I want everyone to be able to say that they had an idea that came to life and be able to talk about it to further their career. This is all part of preparing ourselves for residency and life post-graduation. 
 
What are some of the rewards that come from being a student leader?
One of the biggest rewards is all the contacts and relationships you make. For example, by getting involved at the Broad Street Run, we networked with a Philadelphia organization that works with students to get them into running. This opened a door for us to collaborate and create new events with them. It also gives us the opportunity to work with youth, which is a different experience than what we usually have in class. I also find the opportunity to work with other students really rewarding. I love interacting with student athletes, hearing their ideas and finding new ways to get them involved in their topics of interest. People come to me with their stories every day and it has allowed me to not only get to know my classmates but also learn more about Philadelphia and find my place here.
 
What is something you know now and wish you knew as a new student?
So much! First, that it is completely okay to not know everything in the beginning. I learn so much every year about the school and so much more. My biggest piece of advice is to never be afraid to reach out in any way. I’ve learned that most people are more helpful than you might think, and all you have to do is ask. Especially here at the school, we have all made the same decision to follow this path and have gone through the same struggles. Your best resource can be the very students a couple years older than you who have insight to what you’re experiencing. You never know what connection you might make if you reach out and ask for help!