When Kelsey Mendell stepped into the operating room during her surgery rotation, she didn’t expect to be questioned for being there. “You went to UPenn? Then why are you at NYIT?” an attending asked, implying that a DO school was somehow “less than.”
That moment could have shaken her. Instead, it reaffirmed her belief in forging her own path.
Kelsey’s background is impressive—degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Brown, collegiate athletics, and a family deeply rooted in medicine. Yet her story reminds us that a medical career is not about checking boxes or fitting someone else’s mold. “Maybe we don’t check the boxes that certain people want at a certain point in time,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be as successful.”
Coming from a family of physicians, Kelsey grew up immersed in medical talk around the dinner table. Still, her parents—an MD cardiologist and an NP—tried to steer her away from medicine. “Healthcare is not for the wicked or weary,” they’d tell her.
But curiosity and determination drew her back. When she experienced osteopathic medicine firsthand, she found a philosophy that matched her values.
“At NYIT, we have basically the same curriculum as Hofstra,” she explained. “The biggest difference is OMM—the osteopathic manipulative medicine. That’s over 250 additional hours of hands-on training.”
Those skills became deeply personal. “I use my OMM skills every single day—helping my mom’s back pain, my boyfriend’s ankle, or my clients in the gym. You learn to listen to the body when you’re an osteopath.”
Kelsey’s path wasn’t easy. The stigma around osteopathic medicine—especially among those unfamiliar with it—still lingers. But she meets it with humor and confidence.
“When someone asks why I chose a DO program, I just say, ‘This is where I ended up.’ And I’m proud of that,” she said. “There are barriers when I have DO next to my name. But I’m not going to let someone else’s stigmatization determine what my future will be.”
Her persistence mirrors her athletic past. As a Division I athlete, she learned how to balance intensity, failure, and teamwork. “The athlete in me has thick skin,” she said. “I can handle a lot.”
In addition to studying full time, Kelsey works as a certified strength and conditioning coach. “It’s my balance,” she said. “Being able to train others lets me apply what I’ve learned in med school to real people. It reminds me why I love science and the human body.”
Her physical training also connects back to her dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Despite being told she was “too small” for such a hands-on specialty, she couldn’t help but smile through her first orthopedic case.
“I just couldn’t wipe the grin off my face,” she said. “They put me on a stool so I could drill, hammer, and screw in the prosthetic. No one questioned my ability because I was petite. They just adjusted the setup.”
Now, she’s preparing to apply for orthopedic surgery residencies—a competitive field where DO students often face additional challenges.
Kelsey approaches her residency application process with the same discipline that’s guided her through every challenge. She’s lining up six to seven sub-internships, writing tailored personal statements for each hospital, and connecting directly with residents and program directors.
“I’m attending every splinting lab, every cadaver lab, every lecture on fractures,” she said. “Everything I do is to achieve that goal.”
For future residents like Kelsey, preparation goes beyond academics. Services like Residency Essay Editing and Residency Mock Interviews can help students present their authentic selves and stand out to programs. Those looking for more personalized guidance can book a 1:1 Residency Advising Session with Carlos Tapia, who co-hosted Kelsey’s episode.
Looking back, Kelsey’s story is a lesson in authenticity—one she hopes every premed and medical student takes to heart.
“You have to be authentic to yourself,” she said. “Follow your path. Don’t do it for anyone else but you. If you wake up and look forward to your day, then you’re in the right place.”
And with that mindset, there’s no doubt Kelsey will stand tall—on any stool she needs to reach her dream.
“Becoming a doctor is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be more bad days than good sometimes—but it will all be worth it in the end.” — Kelsey Mendell
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