Emergency medicine future bright for top medical student of 2016

Dr. Samuel Parnell

Dr. Samuel Thomas Parnell, a chemical engineering graduate of UT Austin, truly enjoyed using the skill set required for the degree he earned in 2012. But in the end, medicine won out for a simple reason.

“I loved the problem solving in engineering, but medicine was more personal,” Dr. Parnell said.

He’ll begin a residency in emergency medicine at Vanderbilt University in June, and when he goes he’ll take with him the accoutrements of the Ho Din Award, the most prestigious award given to an outstanding medical student at UT Southwestern Medical School.

First awarded in 1943, Ho Din is a Greek acronym representing “the spirit of medical wisdom and human understanding.” The Ho Din Award, presented by Southwestern Medical Foundation, recognizes those who have the inherent personal attributes embodied in all great physicians. The award includes a certificate, a medal, and a scholarship of $10,000.

 “It’s a huge honor,” Dr. Parnell said. “I’m honored and humbled to have been presented with this prestigious award, especially given its rich history of past winners.

“My classmates and peers are truly extraordinary. I know so many other students in my class who have accomplished amazing things and who are also very deserving of this award, so it means a great deal to be chosen to represent my class.”

Dr. Parnell first felt a calling toward medicine after his freshman year in college when he went to Honduras on a medical mission trip.

“I loved it, and for the first time I could really see myself becoming a doctor,” he said, “and I didn’t even do the real work. I took medical histories and tried to assist in triage situations, but mostly I was just there to get to know patients and help out wherever I could.”

Two years later, in his hometown, the Houston suburb of Tomball, he performed a summer internship with a cardiologist. Takeaway: “It truly affirmed my desire to be a physician. I helped take vitals, check in patients and perform EKGs. But what I enjoyed most was simply speaking with and listening to patients. That was when I finally decided to pursue a career in medicine.”

So when he began his studies at UT Southwestern Medical School he had an idea what awaited him, if only on a small scale.

“The most challenging thing about medical school, besides time management, turned out to be learning how to keep a sense of compassion,” he said. “‘Busyness,’ fatigue, and routine eventually set in, and the temptation is to treat diseases instead of people. I took some advice from Dr. Amit Shah, [former Associate Professor of Internal Medicine] and tried spending more time getting to know my patients as individuals instead of simply a ‘45-year-old male with diabetes’ or a ‘78-year-old female with congestive heart failure.’ I think it made caring for patients more effective and enjoyable.”

Dr. Parnell’s career path wasn’t clear; there were other avenues he considered.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and the difficult part was that I really enjoyed every one of my clinical rotations,” he said. “I especially liked cardiology and ophthalmology, but after my emergency medicine rotation, I knew I had found my vocation. I loved the scope and breath of the specialty and being on the front lines of medicine. 

“In the Emergency Department, you meet patients on their worst day and can provide healing, peace, and comfort during an otherwise chaotic and frightening situation. You are usually the gateway to the medical system and can diagnose, educate, and treat patients while also advocating for them and helping orchestrate their long term care. In addition, I have a passion for global health and medical education, so emergency medicine was a great fit.” 

“Dr. Parnell exemplifies the kind of doctor that the Foundation and Medical School seek to recognize with the Ho Din Award,” said Kathleen Gibson, President of Southwestern Medical Foundation. “It is perhaps best described by Hippocrates, who said, ‘Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.’ ”

While a medical student, Dr. Parnell served as President of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, Vice President of Finance of the Texas Medical Association/American Medical Association, and a leader in Southwestern Christian Fellowship, among a long list of other extracurricular and volunteer activities. 

He and his wife, Rachel, recently traveled to Nashville to finalize living arrangements. Ms. Parnell is a pediatric occupational therapist working in the NICU at Medical City Dallas Hospital, and her plans are to continue her career in Tennessee.

“He’s a great selection for the Ho Din Award,” said Dr. Shah, now in practice at the Mayo Clinic of Arizona, and who found a rapport with the young man in both having earned chemical engineering degrees. “It’s inspiring to see a student like him succeed.

“Dr. Parnell blends both competence and compassion. He is strong on the science, but he’s also a fine human being.”

“I’m really going to miss the people here at UT Southwestern,” Dr. Parnell said. “I’m speaking of the faculty, the residents and my classmates. It’s been an amazing journey, and I’ve truly enjoyed my time during medical school.

“I’ll also miss the patients. Working with underserved patients, they wait so long to see a doctor, you just want to help them in any way that you can. You can be their first point of contact with the medical system and educate them about their disease process and treatment. It’s a privilege to earn a patient’s trust and make a positive impact on their health and well-being.”