“The small-sized classes were one of my favorite aspects of attending NYSCAS,” Grigori says. “I was able to develop close relationships with some of the incredible professors, who always inspired me to keep learning.”

Becoming a medical doctor, he says, is a long and challenging journey. “My path to medicine hasn’t always been an easy one,” he recalls. “As a kid, I never thought I would end up where I am today; being a first-generation immigrant, I faced many additional obstacles and responsibilities. When I started going to college, my grandfather fell ill and was hospitalized. I was the only member of my family who spoke English, so I became involved with all of the conversations between him and his care team; that’s how I got a glimpse of the world of medicine, and ultimately decided to become a doctor.”

To those who aspire to work in the medical field, Grigori says: “You have to keep going. So far, it’s been absolutely worth it for me.”