EPISODE 11: TIFFANY DIAL

Interview by David Vernik
Photograph by Nadiv Hossain

February 10, 2020

Being an older sister is definitely a big part of my identity. I’m extremely close with my younger brother – we even shared a room for about 6 years until we moved into a new house. Without a doubt, he is the best thing that’s happened to my family. He is turning 13 soon, and I could not imagine how different my life would have been had he not been here. I probably wouldn’t have pursued medicine if it weren’t for him!

Naturally, one would think that the day he was born was the best day of our lives, right? It was exactly the opposite. A living nightmare. My mom went into labor 10 weeks early and had to be rushed to the hospital. She immediately shut down emotionally, convinced that there was no way her baby would be coming home with her. We did almost lose him, on more than one occasion. I can distinctly remember a time that my parents received word from the doctor that my brother likely wasn’t going to make it through the night, and they arranged for our Pastor to come pray over him, essentially giving him his last rites.
 
I was not allowed to go to the hospital to visit; the thought that he could have passed without me ever meeting him was emotionally shattering. I did see a lot of pictures, though – pictures of him hooked up to so many machines. He looked more like a pile of wires and tubes than a newborn baby. My parents, to this day, cannot even look at his baby pictures without tearing up. Having a child/family member in the hospital for that long – with all of those ups and downs – it can be a lot to go through. It can be isolating, even from one’s own extended family members who aren’t there every day to witness the events firsthand.
 
Every day, my parents would spend as much time as physically possible in the NICU. As a result, a lot of responsibility fell on my sister and me, 13 and 11 at the time, to take care of ourselves – do homework, study, shower, go to bed on time, etc. We were old enough to manage ourselves, so it wasn’t a big deal, but I think that time did make me more mature, self-sufficient, and aware. I remember thinking about what I could personally do to make sure that when my parents did come home, they could go to bed and rest.
 
During that time, I also learned a lot about neonatal medicine from my mom’s daily updates about my brother. My parents also recognized and applauded the work and effort the doctors and nurses in the NICU put in to fighting for my brother.
 
After a grueling 10 weeks, we did finally bring him home. When I got to hold him for the first time, I remember thinking, “Wow, I want to be that kind of doctor.” People deserve to have a doctor who fights nonstop for their chance to take their child home.The rest is history; since then, I’ve never swayed from the path of pursuing medicine and becoming a neonatologist (at least, unless another specialty steals my heart).

What are your 5 Most Recently Played Artists on Spotify? 
Brooklyn Duo (I listen to them while studying), Camila Cabello, Jonas Brothers, Ozuna, and Bad Bunny.

If you could have any superpower, which one would you choose?
I would want to be able to fly around, but specifically be able to survive flying around in space. I would love to explore the rest of the universe!

Pick something or someone from NYMC to give a shout-out to! 
Shout out to my friends here who have already been there for me through some major ups and downs.

If someone wants to talk to you, they should lead with: 
Tell me about your favorite book, memory, hobby, anything. As long as you love it, I want to hear about it.