Path to the Podium
Path to the Podium: A Four-year Journey of Resiliency
M4 Class President Samantha Swamy (right) addresses attendees alongside M4 Class Vice President Jimmy Zhou (left) at the Match Day celebration in March 2025.
By Marena Keci
When the Stritch School of Medicine Class of 2025 gathers for Commencement, they’ll be addressed by someone who’s not only shared their journey but helped shape it—M4 Class President Samantha Swamy.
Swamy’s path to medicine was inspired early on by her mother, an internal medicine physician. “Hearing the stories she told me about helping patients always inspired me." A high school anatomy class solidified her interest, and hands-on experiences like scribing and shadowing during college reinforced her decision to become a doctor.
Although Swamy initially considered a surgical specialty, her third-year clerkships led her to internal medicine. "After my internal medicine rotation, I found the problem-solving aspect, as well as understanding the fundamental ‘why’ an issue was occurring for a patient, appealed more to me,” she said. “Even more so, speaking to patients one-on-one every day as part of their care longitudinally mattered a lot to me."
She hopes to subspecialize within internal medicine and incorporate procedures into her practice. “I want to use hands-on medical techniques to make a difference in patient outcomes,” she said.
Leading with purpose
Swamy, originally from Michigan, chose Stritch for its strong clinical training and sense of community—a feeling she experienced even during her virtual interview amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Even over Zoom, I felt the kindness and support students showed each other,” she said.
While being class president for the past four years has had many rewards, it also had its challenges. Her class entered medical school during the global pandemic, which in itself was a challenge. Additionally, she was herself adjusting to the demands of medical school while fielding questions from fellow M1 classmates, which she admits was a bit daunting. But with support from her class board, she grew into her leadership role. She advocated for her peers, fostered community, and even helped change institutional policy. One initiative she’s especially proud of: pushing for subsidized UWorld subscriptions to support students preparing for board exams.
As for the rewards of being class president, she played a key role in organizing one of the most emotional and anticipated milestones of medical school: Match Day. "Seeing in front of my eyes the culmination of it all, as well as the emotions of all my classmates, was overwhelming in the best way,” she said.
Addressing the Stritch Class of 2025
She says speaking at Commencement is an honor, and her speech will reflect on the journey the class has taken, highlighting the strength, growth, and resilience that brought them to Commencement Day. "I hope I have been a source of support to many of my classmates and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to speak for and to my class one last time on our graduation day."
Of heading into residency post-graduation, she says “We will continue to learn and do so much more. We are all ready for this next step, and I am excited to see us all succeed." Looking back on her time at Stritch, she describes it as “difficult, transformative, and resilient,” which are also three words she uses to describe her approach to the future.
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By Marena Keci
When the Stritch School of Medicine Class of 2025 gathers for Commencement, they’ll be addressed by someone who’s not only shared their journey but helped shape it—M4 Class President Samantha Swamy.
Swamy’s path to medicine was inspired early on by her mother, an internal medicine physician. “Hearing the stories she told me about helping patients always inspired me." A high school anatomy class solidified her interest, and hands-on experiences like scribing and shadowing during college reinforced her decision to become a doctor.
Although Swamy initially considered a surgical specialty, her third-year clerkships led her to internal medicine. "After my internal medicine rotation, I found the problem-solving aspect, as well as understanding the fundamental ‘why’ an issue was occurring for a patient, appealed more to me,” she said. “Even more so, speaking to patients one-on-one every day as part of their care longitudinally mattered a lot to me."
She hopes to subspecialize within internal medicine and incorporate procedures into her practice. “I want to use hands-on medical techniques to make a difference in patient outcomes,” she said.
Leading with purpose
Swamy, originally from Michigan, chose Stritch for its strong clinical training and sense of community—a feeling she experienced even during her virtual interview amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Even over Zoom, I felt the kindness and support students showed each other,” she said.
While being class president for the past four years has had many rewards, it also had its challenges. Her class entered medical school during the global pandemic, which in itself was a challenge. Additionally, she was herself adjusting to the demands of medical school while fielding questions from fellow M1 classmates, which she admits was a bit daunting. But with support from her class board, she grew into her leadership role. She advocated for her peers, fostered community, and even helped change institutional policy. One initiative she’s especially proud of: pushing for subsidized UWorld subscriptions to support students preparing for board exams.
As for the rewards of being class president, she played a key role in organizing one of the most emotional and anticipated milestones of medical school: Match Day. "Seeing in front of my eyes the culmination of it all, as well as the emotions of all my classmates, was overwhelming in the best way,” she said.
Addressing the Stritch Class of 2025
She says speaking at Commencement is an honor, and her speech will reflect on the journey the class has taken, highlighting the strength, growth, and resilience that brought them to Commencement Day. "I hope I have been a source of support to many of my classmates and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to speak for and to my class one last time on our graduation day."
Of heading into residency post-graduation, she says “We will continue to learn and do so much more. We are all ready for this next step, and I am excited to see us all succeed." Looking back on her time at Stritch, she describes it as “difficult, transformative, and resilient,” which are also three words she uses to describe her approach to the future.