Interview with Bow Tie Ben, 4th Year Med Student


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Session 24

Session 24

In today’s episode, Ryan talks with Ben Azevedo, otherwise known as Bow Tie Ben, where he explains why he has such a nickname. Ben is a 4th year medical student who runs a bow tie business, New Orleans Bow Ties, a perfect example of what this show has been preaching about that you need to give yourself a break outside of medical school.

Today, he shares with us his path to medical school and how his business has helped him during medical school.

Here are the highlights of the conversation with Bow Tie Ben:

Ben’s path to medical school:

  • Starting the premed path a little late
  • Taking the MCAT after graduating from UC Berkeley
  • Spending a year of service at a children’s hospital in Cambodia

Ben’s application process:

  • Writing his personal statement on his Palm Pilot, sitting at McDonald’s in Bali
  • His years between college and med school were dedicated to applying to med school

Choosing the medical schools to apply to:

  • Location (interesting culture and need for service)
  • Applying to a med school in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
  • Being in medical school feeling all fired up

How the Bow Tie Ben was conceived:

  • Coming to New Orleans and seeing “real” bow ties
  • Diving into the city’s culture and pursuing his love for art
  • Feeling the need for something creative to work on
  • Making a bow tie out of a Thai silk using his mom’s sewing machine

How the arts has helped him get through medical school:

  • Activating the right side of his brain
  • Putting things in perspective to pull himself out of studying and seeing a brighter side of life
  • Meeting different kinds of people he wouldn’t have otherwise met

The future of his business:

  • Knowing things will change once he starts residency
  • Figuring out what he’s going to do with it

Some pieces of advice for premed students:

Use that energy. Every student has it. It can take you a long way.

Links and Other Resources:

New Orleans Bow Ties

Ben on Twitter @BenAzevedo and @NOLABowTies

New Orleans Bow Ties on Instagram

New Orleans Bow Ties on Twitter

New Orleans Bow Ties on Facebook

Ben’s Tumblr Page

Tulane University School of Medicine

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