Curtis Norwick, MD ’18 matched into a psychiatry residency program at St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia, Michigan—just half an hour away from his hometown of Farmington Hills.
“My goal has always been to come back home to Michigan to practice,” said Norwick. “I’m really happy that I’ll be so close to my family and friends.”
Being the Change
Norwick had originally pursued a major in environmental science as an undergrad at Michigan State University. But his perspective was irrevocably changed after one of his classmates took their own life, and Norwick was left wondering what he could have done to help. That same week, he switched his major to psychology with a pre-med track.
“It got me thinking: How could someone feel so lost and alone during what’s supposedly one of the best times of your life? How can we do better?” Norwick said. “That’s what motivated me to become a psychiatrist. As a doctor in your community, you have the ability to truly help people and make a difference.”
From Michigan to the Caribbean (and Back)
Norwick first learned about AUC through a family friend’s recommendation. At the time, he had recently graduated college and had taken a job with a barn renovation company to start paying off loans before medical school. But after several months of power-washing barn stalls, he decided it was time to trade his Hazmat suit for a white coat.
“I took the MCAT in the summer, and I found out that I could start at AUC a month later,” Norwick said. “I was on the island in time to join the September class.”
Norwick further developed his interest in psychiatry during his clinical rotations, particularly through specialized electives and sub-internships that he completed in Miami. Highlights of his experience included a weeklong emergency psychiatry program that at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital, which offered him lots of hands-on experience and interaction with acute patients; and working with inmates at Miami-Dade Corrections.
While he’s interested in pursuing research further down the line, Norwick is most looking forward to working with patients in the community, just as he’s dreamed of since his undergrad days.
“I feel prepared to start residency and put my best foot forward,” Norwick said.
