Student Spotlight: Sophia Pappas Fox ‘24
I had the pleasure of interviewing the SGA president elect, Emily Kuda. I asked her a few questions about what life is like in the podiatry school and how this has helped her perform as the SGA president elect.
What made you interested in podiatry? Why did you choose it? (if family/friends then elaborate, if random study then talk about other interests at the end)
- “Growing up, my whole life, I played competitive sports. I’m actually from Canada and I played my undergraduate career in Buffalo, New York. I played soccer and I wasn't familiar with podiatry at all because in Ontario, it’s not a big field. So I injured my foot, of course and went to see a podiatrist which made me become super interested in the field and wanted to find out more. Fast forward, I got an email about applying and I met with a local podiatrist back in Toronto. He took me through the process and the rest is history. I love it.”
What is your favorite/most interesting part of working for TUSPM?
- “So, being an SGA, you get to communicate with faculty and meet students you wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for the position. The vast array of people you get to meet and communicate with ranging from faculty and deans to students is really fun and interesting for me.”
What is your favorite part of school?
- “I really like the surgery classes because you're finally putting what you’ve learned all these years into practice. Not fully into action but putting the pieces together and tying all the classes into one just makes so much more sense. The surgery classes are the most interesting for sure.”
What is the most interesting thing you have seen in your field?
- “Not in person, but in our lectures we saw some pretty gruesome pictures and case studies, for example there was one picture where a man stepped on a firework which was crazy to see. The anatomy lab was also pretty cool to see too. You can see the entire human body and dissect it which is an opportunity you never really get again. As a student, I would say the anatomy lab but as a future practitioner podiatrist, I would say the slides in class.”
What is your proudest accomplishment?
- “Getting into school is exciting and fun. I’m from Canada and having moved all the way to Philadelphia was a big change. I didn’t know anyone and it was pretty scary but I'm proud of myself for sticking with it and taking such a big leap. I am someone that likes to stay in my comfort zone but I don’t regret it, I’ve met some great people.”
What does it mean to you to be the President Elect of SGA?
- “To me it means connecting the bridge between faculty and students and being able to give students the opportunity to succeed in their clubs or suggestions. We take the things students say and relay to faculty to try and make change. Being a voice for the students to help them run their clubs smoothly as well as planning events that students will love and be able to unwind is really important to me. Another important thing is helping the little things behind the scenes that make everything run more smoothly for students, financial or logistic things.”
Advice for younger students first starting to work with patients?
- “Just be confident in yourself because the patient you're working with wants to feel comfortable and in the good hands of someone who knows what they're doing. Being kind and being approachable are very important things. Trust yourself, you're never going to learn everything but you got this far for a reason. Just keep on being a kind and confident person.”
Advice for people interested in the field?
- “Podiatry is a hidden gem and people should look into the field and really see what it has to offer. It really contains every aspect of medicine from surgery to clinic. Podiatry is very cool to learn about and if anyone is interested they should definitely reach out and do some research. I would be more than happy to talk to anybody who is interested in learning more.”
How has being the president of sga changed how you look at podiatry (if at all)?
- “Being the president, you get the ability to go to different conferences and meet with podiatrists that are already in the field. It’s a small community but everybody is there to help you. Most people you go to school with, you are likely to run into again at some point in your life. The connections you make in school and the relationships you will build just continue to be helpful in the future. Going to conferences has helped show that however the podiatrists that are in the field are also working to make the field better for the students as well as being a voice for the students. We get a lot of support from alumni and podiatrists who want to keep seeing the field grow. As president, adopting that feeling as well is just natural. I look forward to growing the field when I am a practicing podiatrist.”