Lindsay Mosca

Lindsay Mosca,  DO/Academic Scholar

My name is Lindsay Mosca (she/her), and I am currently a third-year osteopathic medical student at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) completing a dedicated scholar year as a Teaching Scholar through the Academic Medicine Scholars Program. I grew up on Long Island, New York, and attended Vanderbilt University, where I majored in Medicine, Health, and Society. Before beginning my scholar year, I completed the first half of my core clinical rotations, and I am now pursuing a Master of Science in Academic Medicine focused on medical education, teaching, mentorship, and research. 

I chose NYITCOM because it allowed me to stay close to home and near my support system throughout medical school. I was also excited by the opportunities available outside of the traditional curriculum, especially the Academic Medicine Scholars Program, since I had already developed interests in teaching, mentorship, and medical education before starting medical school. Since coming to NYITCOM, I have been able to become involved in teaching, research, EMS, and mentorship in ways that have really shaped my goals as a future physician. 

Since my schedule changes depending on the day, no two days look exactly the same. Between graduate coursework, teaching responsibilities, research, clinic experiences, and EMS involvement, my weeks are usually a mix of different academic and extracurricular activities. This is a rough outline of what an average day during scholar year looks like for me: 

6:30 a.m. – Wake up, make coffee, and get ready for the day 

7:30 a.m. – Drive to campus and review material for class or lab 

8 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Academic Medicine coursework or research 

Most mornings, I either attend graduate coursework as part of the Master of Science in Academic Medicine program or spend time doing research. One of my favorite classes has been Dr. Goldstein’s medical education course, where we discuss topics related to teaching strategies, curriculum development, mentorship, and educational research. On other days, I work in Dr. Dong Zhang’s laboratory at the NYIT Center for Cancer Research, where our research focuses on targeting DNA repair and the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway as a potential approach for cancer therapy. I also enjoy mentoring newer student researchers in the lab as they develop laboratory and critical thinking skills. 

12 – 1 p.m. – Lunch with my cohort or meetings with faculty mentors 

One of my favorite parts of the Academic Medicine Scholars Program has been the close-knit community within our cohort. Since there are only twelve students in the program, we have all become very close and spend a lot of time together. Lunch is usually a chance for us to catch up, talk about our projects and teaching experiences, and support each other through the challenges of medical school and scholar year. I have also really valued the opportunity to develop strong relationships with faculty mentors through the program. Working closely with faculty members who are passionate about teaching and mentorship has been one of the most rewarding parts of my experience at NYITCOM. 

1 – 5 p.m. – Teach Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) and Doctor Patient Relationships (DPR) labs 

A highlight of scholar year has been working closely with first- and second-year students in lab. In OMM, I help students learn hands-on diagnostic and treatment techniques, while DPR focuses more on communication skills, physical exam skills, and clinical reasoning. I enjoy that the two labs complement each other in different ways and allow students to build both technical and interpersonal skills early in medical training. Teaching has pushed me to become a better communicator and has reinforced my own clinical knowledge in ways I did not expect. This summer, I will also be teaching anatomy, which I am especially excited about since anatomy has always been one of my favorite subjects. 

Evenings – EMS, studying, workouts, or time with friends and family 

Outside of school, I stay involved with Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps, where I serve as a lieutenant and chair the department’s Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement (QA/QI) and Mentorship Committee, which focuses on patient care, documentation, education, and member development. Although balancing EMS with medical school can sometimes be challenging, scholar year has given me additional opportunities to stay active within the agency and grow into a larger leadership role. Depending on the day, I may be riding calls, reviewing charts, mentoring newer members, or helping with training and onboarding. Since I grew up on Long Island and much of my family is from the area, continuing to serve the local community through EMS during medical school has been especially meaningful to me. When I am not studying or volunteering, I enjoy going to Pilates classes, spending time with friends and family, and trying to maintain balance outside of medicine. 

One of the things I value most about NYITCOM is the number of opportunities available beyond the traditional curriculum. Through my clinical rotations, teaching experiences, and research involvement, I have been able to grow not only as a student, but also as a future physician and educator. The Academic Medicine Scholars Program has strengthened my interest in academic medicine and shown me how meaningful mentorship and teaching can be in shaping future generations of physicians. 

What makes NYITCOM especially unique to me is the supportive community and the willingness of both students and faculty to invest in one another’s success. Whether through clinical training, research, teaching, or extracurricular involvement, I have always felt encouraged to pursue opportunities that have challenged me to grow both personally and professionally. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities, mentorship, and relationships I have developed throughout my time at NYITCOM so far, and I look forward to continuing through scholar year and carrying those experiences with me throughout the rest of medical school and my future career in medicine.