Before the NEOMED Class of 2026 starts their journey, we wanted to learn more about students from this group. We invited them to share their stories. Here is one response:
Meet first-year medicine student Andrew Newsom, a graduate of Kent State University, who hails from Zanesville, Ohio.
Q: Why did you choose NEOMED?
A: I love that the University’s curriculum is patient-focused.
Q: What specific career do you hope to pursue? Or where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A: I hope to pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon. In ten years, I hope to be hanging out with my wife watching our child, or children, play in the yard.
Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: When I was younger, I wanted to be an NFL quarterback... or a Jedi.
Q: What is your favorite thing to eat and why?
A: My mother’s spaghetti because it always tastes so good.
Q: What book or movie are you currently recommending to friends? Why?
A: For reading, I have been recommending “My Own Words” by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It’s such a great book. For movies, I recommend watching “Ocean’s Eleven.” It has a great cast and is entertaining.
Q: You are handed a plane ticket to anywhere in the world. Where are you going? Why?
A: Greece. I find Greek mythology really fascinating and I would love to see an opera at the Acropolis.
Q: If time and resources were no object, what skill or hobby would you pursue? Why?
A: I wish I could learn Spanish overnight. I’m half Puerto Rican and sadly, hablo un poco de Español (I speak a little bit of Spanish).
Q: What’s your hype song? Why?
A: At the moment, my hype song is “On my Own” by Jaden Smith and Kid Cudi. It does exactly what a hype song is supposed to do, it gets me pumped up.
Q: What would people be surprised to know about you?
A: I personally don’t find this surprising, but I am the youngest of four boys and played quarterback growing up. According to my friends in Kent, it was surprising and explains everything you need to know about me.