Former NICU baby graduates medical school, intends to become NICU doctor
He plans to start a pediatrics residency specializing in infant care.
A former NICU baby is going to become a NICU doctor.
Marcus Mosley was born in 1995 at just 26 weeks gestation, meaning he spent his first few months of life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Now, 27 years later, Mosley has graduated medical school with the intention of specializing in the same kind of medicine that saved his life. He recently graduated from the CUNY School of Medicine at The City College of New York. His journey from being a patient to being a doctor in the NICU is well underway and the future is looking bright.
"It was very frightening when he was born and they told me that he was in the NICU," Mosley's mother, Pauline Mosley told "Good Morning America." "The doctors told me, they just kept giving me all these different percentages of very slim chance of him being normal, like less than 10% chance. They kept saying 90%, he might not be able to see. Eighty to 90%, he would have developmental delays. They didn't know."
While it's true that being born premature (before 37 weeks gestation) can lead to developmental delays and health problems that range from minor to severe, it's hard for doctors to predict that at the outset. The effects of being born premature and the care received aren't always known until the child gets older, but there is evidence that shows that Black babies are more likely to receive subpar NICU care.
A review of 41 studies that was released in 2019 found that Black preterm babies are the most vulnerable. Typically, hospitals with a higher amount of Black preemies had fewer nurses and lower-quality care compared to hospitals with a smaller amount of Black babies. Additionally, evidence showed that "minority-serving" NICUs had higher death rates. Lack of resources and understaffing at hospitals that serve communities of minorities is part of the problem.
Black parents have also talked about a lack of support as their babies leave the NICU. Some of the studies showed that Black parents were less likely to get referrals for follow-up care for their preemies. These parents also reported feeling less satisfied with their experiences, likely for the reasons mentioned above. If you're not feeling supported, then you're certainly not going to have a good experience.
Thankfully for the Mosley family, Marcus didn't suffer from any long-term health problems. But a return to the NICU when he was 13 set his life on its current trajectory. During the visit to the Westchester Medical Center, he met Dr. Edmund LaGamma, the chief of neonatology at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. A relationship was forged between the two that would lead Mosley to make one of the most important discoveries of his life.
"He had called and said that he was a former patient of the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Center and he was in high school and wanted to know if he could do a shadowing program over the summer," LaGamma told "Good Morning America."
LaGamma explained that in the time since Mosley had been a patient, "a lot of advances had been made," and he invited the young man to come join the team for rounds. Shadowing Dr. LaGamma and the team left quite the impression on Mosley.
One of our many star students and now Dr. Marcus Mosley was featured in his hometown paper and on Good Morning America. https://t.co/UQYak1j4Qx @GMA @CSOM_Official @CityCollegeNY pic.twitter.com/m4KDqbXPAZ
— Dr. Victoria Frye (@DrVictoriaFrye1) May 27, 2022
"That is what really piqued my interest and then solidified my interest in wanting to go into medicine," Mosley explained.
After that summer of shadowing, LaGamma began to act as a mentor to Mosley, especially when he enrolled in the accelerated B.A/M.D. program at City College, which happens to be LaGamma's alma mater. Mosley is gearing up to begin his pediatrics residency at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.
"I'm really excited and looking forward to starting residency and to be able to take care of patients now," Mosley said. "I'll be responsible for patients and involved in patient care and treating families."
And his mentor thinks that he is just the right person for such a special and important kind of job. "I think he has that personality which comes across as engaging and inviting so that he'll do well as a pediatrician," LaGamma said, adding that he's already offering Mosley a fellowship position in the future.
It's beautiful to see how a formative part of your life can lead you down a specific life path.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.