Janie Lee = M.D.

The much-anticipated Graduation weekend has finally come and gone. One of the highlights, besides that of receiving my diploma on Sunday, was becoming a celebrity overnight. Well, perhaps I did not quite become a celebrity, but I must admit that somehow my photograph was published in the esteemed local newspaper, The Press Enterprise! Yes, it is difficult to believe. If you want proof, you can take a look at the article online with your own two eyes:
ttp://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_H_lomau29.dea8f7f.html
Here’s the full story. All of my classmates and I were lined up and impatiently waiting outside at 8:00 am on Sunday morning (5/28/06), waiting for our procession and the graduation ceremony to begin. Suddenly, my friends Helen Lee and Eunice Lee (we were standing in alphabetical order) noticed that a strange man with a large camera and an even larger lens was voraciously snapping photos of us. Uncertain as to what we should do, Helen and I instinctively posed and timidly smiled at the foreign camera that was looming in front of us. The man behind the black device abruptly looked up at us and stated, “One hint…if you want your photo in the newspaper, don’t look at the camera!” He proceeded to take out a pen and paper and asked us to jot down our name, age, and hometown. He told us that there would be a few graduates that he would be following and taking photos of throughout the day, and he hoped that our photo would make it on the front page of the newspaper.

I thought nothing more of it, until the ceremony was over and we were marching out. Suddenly, the photographer jumped out of nowhere and began to take dozens of photos of me. By this time, I was thoroughly covered in leis and an inflatable tube in the shape of a yellow duck. I could hear him mumbling to himself, “I love it! I love it!” I assume, in reference to the duck. Needless to say, a picture of the duck was successfully published in the “Local” section of The Press Enterprise.

Here is a picture of that famous Duck, along with his friend, Froggy!

Other than that, Graduation Day was an exhausting one. My School of Medicine Graduation went from 8:30 – 11:00 am, then we had a lunch party at my house from 12:00 – 2:00 pm, then I went to the School of Pharmacy Graduation until 3:00 pm, then I attended my brother’s School of Dentistry Graduation from 5:00 – 7:30 pm, and finally we had a dinner party at my house from 8:00 – 11:30 pm. That was what I would call a full day.

Although I was tired, I was happy for the chance to spend time with family and friends. And I cannot complain about the many gifts that people generously gave, including monetary ones (Korean family members really know how to give cash)! I was especially touched that my friend, Nyein, drove all the way down from the Bay area to attend my graduation! It was very nice to see her and to introduce her to my fiancé, Paul. She is the only one out of the seven girls who will be my bridesmaids who had never met Paul. Fortunately, she liked him and gave me her stamp of approval for me to marry him.
I was also extremely grateful for my cousin Curtis (shown on left), who was my unofficial photographer for the day. He is a sweet, talented, wonderful man (a very eligible bachelor who knows how to cook well) who gave of himself all day to take the 200+ quality photographs of my graduation.

I am especially thankful to my parents, who were so supportive and active in making that graduation day a success. They hosted both the lunch and dinner parties. They faithfully attended both graduations and ran back and forth to make sure that everything ran smoothly. My dad took his usual post as the unofficial videographer. I attribute my successful completion of medical school and all that I am today to to the love and support of God as well as my parents. I love you, Mom & Dad!

In conclusion, I must say that this weekend was successful in that I was officially granted the title "M.D.," deemed so by Loma Linda University. I have proof...the diploma is in my hands!

It is a bit strange to think that I am now a physician. I feel too ill-prepared, too unworthy, too naïve and inexperienced to be called a real doctor. This truly is the beginning of a new era in my life.