Right around the corner from OESH is Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello (you know, that building that’s on the back of the nickel) where every Fourth of July, 76 people from around the world, are officially sworn in as citizens of the United States.
Exactly ten years ago I had the privilege of helping to celebrate one of our resident physicians being sworn in. All the resident physicians in our program (at the University of Virginia, where I was chairman) were amazing, which is what you’d expect from our having over 600 applicants for 4 residency spots. But Michael Guo, from China, was especially amazing. On top of his demanding residency duties he took on all the things he had to do to become a U.S. citizen, like take a test on U.S. History that most of us U.S. born citizens would fail. Seeing him officially become a U.S. citizen was surely special. About as special as a few years later when we presented him his certificate of residency completion.
Here’s Michael (front, center) in front of the Monticello. Michael is now practicing at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem in North Carolina.
Michael, ten years later, I’m still mighty proud!
