EPISODE 9: Alexis Carr

OCTOBER 10, 2024

Interview by Erica Thomas

Photo by Zoë Volney

Edited by Amar Gopal

So where are you from originally?
Oh my god, are we recording already?

Yup, we’re recording!
Oh gosh. Okay, well, I'm originally from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Do you miss it?
I do! I miss my family… and I could probably afford more horses if I moved back.

More horses?
Well, I don’t have any right now, but in theory, I could have more horses there than I could here.

So you’ve had horses before?
I had one. His name was Dandy Boy. I didn’t name him, though. I started taking lessons on him when I was about 9. After a while, I leased him, which meant we paid for part of his room and board, and I could ride him whenever I wanted. Then his owner decided to sell him, and my parents asked if I wanted him. It was basically my 14th birthday present. They were like, “You can have Dandy as long as you forgo getting a car for your 16th birthday.” I thought it was a trick question—of course, I wanted him! It was my dream come true.

Was horseback riding something your family did?
Nope! I was just born a horse girl. No one in my family’s into horses like I am. I started showing horses when I was just *this* tall.

What was Dandy Boy like?
He loved food—just like me. He was spunky, always ready to go. He was dark brown with a platinum blonde mane and tail. A bit shorter, but he could jump like crazy. Horses are inherently dangerous, but he always took care of me. One time, during a competition, he slipped on wet grass and fell with me on him. He could have crushed my leg, but I swear he moved in a way that made sure I didn’t get hurt.

Wow, sounds like a special bond. What happened to him?
He developed a condition where a bone in his hoof rotated, and it became too painful for him to walk. The vet told us there weren’t many good options, so we had to make the difficult decision to put him down. He was about 25 when we got him, but he could’ve lived to 35 or 40. He was the best first horse I could’ve asked for. I would love to have horses again someday.

What kind of kid were you growing up?
I was kind of a weird kid. Very much a tomboy. I’d rather be outside climbing trees or riding horses than inside doing girly things. With so many siblings and cousins, there was always someone to play with, which was nice. I started horseback riding lessons around six and was showing horses pretty young. I also had pet rats…

Rats?! How were your parents okay with that?
I had to make an entire PowerPoint presentation to convince them. I think I was, like, 12. Rats are actually really clean, like cats. They’re sociable, and you can only buy them in pairs. Mine used to sit in my hoodie pocket and on my shoulder. I thought they were super cute, sweet, and smart. I found a rat breeder—yes, that’s a real career option! In another life, I probably would’ve been a vet, honestly.

Why not this life?

I worked two jobs in high school. One was at an ice cream shop and the other was at a vet’s office. The vet’s office was great, but on my first shift, someone brought in their yellow lab to be put down. I had labs growing up, and I remember crying so hard as I was holding this dog while it passed away. That’s when I knew I couldn’t be a vet. 

Oh man, that’s tough. Did you enjoy working at the ice cream shop?
Yes! I worked at this place called The Dip. It’s a little mom and pop ice cream store. I started when they first opened, so I was part of the first batch of employees. I got really good at making soft-serve ice cream cones—like I could make them ridiculously tall and dip them in hard shell coatings. I’m kind of an expert at this point. It was honestly a lot of fun. It’s such a good first job. 

Do you have any memories from The Dip that stand out?

Yeah. I was 15, and probably should’ve known better, but someone once gave me a fake $100 bill. I gave them $95 in change and they just drove off. At the end of the night, my boss was like, “...So who was working the drive through?...” I felt so bad. I still think about that to this day, but the store’s still open and going strong!

Do you still keep in touch with them?
Yeah, they’re like my grandparents at this point. Whenever I’m home, I’ll volunteer to work a night shift just to give them a break. My best friend from home still works there too, so we’ll do it together. It’s always a good time. They still try to slip me some cash afterward, and I’m like, “Stop, I’m an adult now, I don’t need your money!” But that’s just how they are—super sweet.

Do you have any siblings?
I have, like, seven.

Seven?!
Yup! I lose count sometimes. I have to count on my hands. I’m the second youngest and was the baby for a good ten years or so, until one day my parents sat us all down and were like, “We’re having another one.” I remember crying because I didn’t want to give up being the baby.

Did you grow up in a tight-knit community?
Yeah, it was a smaller town. Like, you couldn’t go to the grocery store without running into someone you knew. My mom would talk to people for thirty minutes while I was standing there like, "Come on, Mom." I have a couple of good friends from back home that I still keep in touch with. 

Where did you go for college? 

I went to Loyola in Chicago. It was a huge change—going from a small town my whole life to suddenly being on my own in a big city. But it was a lot of fun. I had a random roommate freshman year, and we ended up living together all four years of college, which is kind of rare. We’re still super close—she got married in May, and I was one of her bridesmaids. My cousin also lives there, and we’re really close, so it was kind of like having a big sister nearby. That definitely helped with the adjustment. And Chicago itself—so much good food! Plus, it’s a bigger city, so a lot of artists come through. I got to see all my favorite bands and went to so many music festivals.

Do you remember your first concert in Chicago?
I think it was a band called Fences, though I don’t think they exist anymore. Funny story—I actually have a tattoo related to them, an upside-down cross. This guy I knew introduced me to the band, and when they were coming to town, I bought two tickets. I ended up losing my phone one night, and he happened to have an extra Blackberry—yes, that's how old I am—so I traded him one of the tickets for the Blackberry, and we went to the show together. 

What did you major in during college?
I started out as pre-med. I really liked biology for the first year and a half, but then I got the lowest test grade of my life on a chemistry exam, and I was like, "I’m not doing this anymore." So, I switched to business because I honestly had no idea what else to do. I ended up double majoring in marketing and management. At some point, I just became really focused on getting through my degree and finishing school so I could start working. 

Do you have a favorite college memory?
There’s one that sticks out. It’s kind of random. My roommate needed something from a guy in her class, so we went up to his dorm. I thought his roommate was funny and cute, and I happened to have a banana in my pocket from the cafeteria. So while we were in his room, I stuck the banana under his pillow without anyone noticing. A few hours later, the friend requested me on Facebook and asked, "Did you put a banana under my pillow?" I was like, "Maybe..." It was way better of an introduction than just telling him my name. We became best friends after that.

That’s too funny.

Honestly, it was such a weird thing to do, but it worked. I guess that’s the moral of the story—sometimes you just have to be strange.

What happened after college?
After college, I got a job through Instagram. I landed an internship at an advertising agency, and they ended up hiring me full-time. I worked in advertising for about seven or eight years. Around the six-year mark, I realized my company had an office in New York, and I asked if they could move me there. They agreed, and that’s how I ended up here.

What made you want to switch to medicine from advertising?

It was about six months after I moved to New York when I started thinking seriously about it. I had met so many incredible people, and the energy in the city really inspired me. I realized that I wanted to do something more directly impactful with my life. One day, I sat down with my boss and said, “I know I just got here, and the company invested a lot in moving me here and setting me up with a new team, but I’m thinking about going to med school.” He was definitely surprised, but the company was really supportive of my decision. I worked through my post-bacc by taking night classes at Fordham while still at the agency, and eventually, I got into med school.

Was there a specific moment that made you reconsider your career?

New York has this way of motivating you, and I was surrounded by people doing amazing things. It made me want to pursue something where I could make a difference in a more hands-on way. I’d take the subway to work every day, and I’d see people who were in need, whether they were unhoused or struggling in some way. It made me realize I wanted to contribute more directly to helping people. I loved the creativity of advertising, but I felt like I could use my skills in a different context—one that involved healthcare and providing for those who needed it most. I also basically grew up in a healthcare household. My mom was a labor and delivery nurse, and my dad is an OB-GYN. If my dad was watching me, we’d go visit my mom in the hospital, and if my mom was watching me, she’d take me to my dad’s office. I was always in some kind of hospital setting, and it just felt like a normal part of life. They never pushed that career on me or my siblings, but my dad was a little bummed that I didn’t pursue the med school route the first time around, understandably. Now that I’m back on the path, though, both of them are super supportive.

How has moving to Westchester for medical school been for you?
I feel like moving to Westchester has been like coming back to my roots. It’s a lot like where I grew up—quieter, more suburban, and just really beautiful. I love being able to go hiking, and the scenery here is gorgeous. I’ve actually enjoyed living here a lot more than I expected. I wouldn’t mind staying around here for residency. The environment just feels right for me.

Why do you want to go into orthopaedics?
The silly answer is that I was an odd kid and I’ve always had this fascination with skeletons. It never occurred to me that I could actually work with bones. As I got older and started shadowing doctors, ortho was the only thing that truly interested me. It’s such a thoughtful and technical specialty. There’s a lot of planning involved, especially when you’re dealing with complex injuries. You have to think carefully about what needs to be done first and consider how things will turn out down the line. Bones do break in patterns, but everyone’s injury is a little different, which keeps things interesting. It’s a constant challenge, and I love that. I tried to give everything a fair shot during our rotations, but ortho was the one specialty that I kept coming back to. Ortho also gives you a lot of flexibility in the long run with its sub-specialties. I’m really drawn to trauma. It’s so unpredictable, and that’s what makes it exciting for me. Every case is different, and you get to work with all kinds of patients—kids, teenagers, elderly people who’ve had falls. It’s a wide variety, which keeps it interesting. Plus, I love the tools we get to use. I just recently got to put screws into a humerus during a procedure, and it was the coolest thing ever. 

What surprised you the most about medical school?

Honestly, everything. I guess the sheer amount of information was the biggest surprise. The material itself isn’t necessarily hard, but there’s just so much of it. During the first year, I thought, “Okay, I got this.” But then the second year hit, and I was like, “Oh my god, there is so much more.” And even then, you realize that we’re only scratching the surface of what’s out there. That was definitely an eye-opener. I was also so impressed and humbled by how hard everyone works. At this level, we’re all top-tier students, and being surrounded by so many smart, driven people has been really cool. It’s inspiring to be part of that environment.

Did you ever have a fantasy career when you were a kid?

Yeah, I wanted to be a forensic pathologist, which is really specific for a kid, I know. But I was a big reader. I’d go to the library with my mom, and I’d pick out all these mystery and crime books. Tess Gerritsen was one of my favorite authors—she is actually a physician who wrote these morbid, serial-killer stories featuring a medical examiner, and I loved them. I thought it would be so cool to do that kind of work.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Hmm. I would want to read people’s minds.

Really?

Really. I just watched Twilight for the first time a couple of weeks ago! 

Fair enough. How would your friends describe you in three words?

Probably... a teeny bit neurotic [laughs]. I hope they’d also say I’m funny. I’ve always liked being funny. I did stand-up comedy a couple of times in Chicago—really small shows, but it takes a lot to get up there. I’d also hope they’d say I’m thoughtful. Those would be my top three.

Do you have any jokes you keep in your back pocket?

What happens when you forget to pay your exorcist?

I don’t know. What?

You get repossessed.

That’s not bad actually. 

It's so good. It's a clean joke, easy to whip out. I just really like that one.

Who do you look up to?

Definitely my mom. She’s always been such a hard worker. For a while, she was a single mom with four kids under the age of five, and I have no idea how she managed it. She was a nurse, constantly working, and yet my childhood was great—I never had to worry about anything. She made sure everything was taken care of, and to this day, she’s still my go-to for advice. I can always call her, and she always knows what to say. 

I also really admire so many of the orthopaedic surgeons I’ve gotten to work with. There’s one who has this incredible ability to remember everyone’s name—whether it’s the scrub techs, nurses, anesthesiologists, or students. It’s such a small thing, but it shows that he genuinely values everyone around him. I hope one day I can be like that too, taking the time to connect with everyone and treating them with respect no matter what role they play.

What kind of doctor do you want to be known as? 

I want to be the physician that people are genuinely glad to see when they come in, especially during a crazy day. My biggest goal is for my colleagues to feel reassured when they hear I’m the one on call. If something wild rolls in, I want them to think, “Okay, it’s going to be fine. She’s got this.” 

Contact Alexis at acarr5@student.nymc.edu.

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