Student Spotlight: Hye-Jin Yun

M4 class president reflects on her unique journey to Stritch

By Sam Uhlarik

February 14, 2022

Most students begin medical school shortly after completing their undergraduate degree. But for Hye-Jin Yun, Stritch Class of 2022 president, distinguished experience in performing arts, journalism, and humanitarian initiatives preceded her Stritch experience. Learn more about Hye-Jin's road to Stritch and her time here:

What do you like most about being Class of 2022 president?

Maya Angelou once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

As the M4 class president, I have the privilege of serving the most phenomenal group of thoughtful, compassionate, brilliant future physicians who know how to make someone feel loved and cared for. Clear and transparent communication is key. I am grateful for the opportunity to have initiated the “Stritch Skimm”—a newsletter with announcements to help ensure unity and synchronization across my class, which has been especially important during the pandemic.

Throughout an unprecedented time in medical education, I have been moved time and again by my classmates who have generously and selflessly been present for each other in some of the darkest moments. Their resilience through grief, loss, and tragedy is inspiring. Their strength to forge on in times of uncertainty is courageous. They will go the distance to make someone feel that they matter, and I will do anything for my classmates to ensure their needs are met. If humanism is at the center of service and advocacy, we cannot fail.

Who has mentored you at Stritch?

Fr. David De Marco, MD, has been an influential mentor throughout my time at Stritch. He actually interviewed me as a prospective student. He has served as my facilitator for the Mechanism for Human Disease course and brought so much humanism to pathology. He is the walking embodiment of Loyola’s vision of a physician who also treats the human spirit. He deeply cares about the study of the body and goes above and beyond to support students. He understands the importance of medical students’ mental health and takes the time to listen and counsel.

From performing arts to broadcast journalism to humanitarian work, how did you end up in medicine at Stritch?

I found my voice through musical theater and dance when I first moved to the United States from South Korea. Portraying a spectrum of human experiences through different characters and working with a team on a show was the start of my journey as an active storyteller. As a performer and neuroscience major in college, I became attuned to the intricacies of the human body, and that strengthened my interest in health and medical sciences. I then sought to combine my passions for performing arts and medicine by getting involved in medical broadcast journalism. That culminated in an opportunity with CBS Evening News, which provided an outlet to educate the public about health. Communication is a transferrable skill, and I chose to work with UNICEF USA prior to medical school to advocate, educate, and fundraise for the world’s most vulnerable children.

Beyond cultivating my public speaking, performance, communication, and teamwork skills, the incredible artists, creators, journalists, and humanitarians that I have worked with have made me self-aware, empathetic, and confident in the direction of my dreams as an aspiring physiatrist in performing arts medicine.

Watch this short video to learn more about Hye-Jin's journey to Stritch.