As a special education teacher by day, Thomas Robinson, MD started taking organic chemistry courses by night to assess if he had the academic ability to attend medical school. Now an American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) graduate, Robinson is starting his residency in pediatrics at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana this summer. He looks forward to continuing to work with children, especially through difficult times. “I’m really excited to work with kids, make them laugh and smile. Even though they’re sick in a hospital, I want to make it a safe and comfortable space for them.”
Robinson became known for his ability to stay calm in the midst of troubling times when he served as the fourth and fifth-semester student government representative at AUC, which happened to be the same year AUC temporarily relocated to Preston, UK in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irma. “Being the representative was really tough, but I was able to use a lot of leadership skills working with professionals at all levels — from deans of the school and administration, down to other medical students. That sort of level of professionalism and leadership is something I hope to take into residency and forwards in my career.”
Other aspects he looks forward to in his residency is the small program size and its focus on education, “It’s a newer hospital with a smaller program, so it’s somewhere I can really get one-on-one time with attendings and my other senior residents.” Robinson hopes to one day be an attending physician himself and continue his passion of teaching.
While shifting from teaching to pediatrics seemed natural for Robinson, it wasn’t always a simple path for the second career student. He hopes to connect with future MATCH candidates and help them overcome adversity and continue leveraging resources and opportunities, especially those provided through AUC’s Office of Student and Professional Development.
Robinson was part of the American Academy of Pediatrics group at AUC and Psi Chi vice president, experiences he is grateful for and feels greatly contributed to his success.
