Matthew Harden

Matthew Harden

Medical Resident/Fellow

Professional Summary

Personal Statement
One night as I sat unwinding from board studying, I overheard my brother and his guest discussing a young friend who had recently died from cancer. His death forced them to grapple with their mortality, something neither thought about as healthy young adults. The conversation segued into their health and his guest revealed that he had not seen a physician in over 10 years. He felt like medical professionals did not respect him because he was not medically savvy. My brother echoed these sentiments and added feeling unwelcome at times during medical encounters. As I sat listening to their experiences with the healthcare system, the reasons why people neglect their health started to make sense to me on a much deeper level. The full reality of my responsibility and the impact I will have on my patients, both positive and negative, rested heavily on my shoulders. That night, I made a promise to be the antithesis of what deterred them from engaging with medicine. Throughout my third-year rotations, I was able to keep that promise and discovered that a career in internal medicine would allow me to have a tangible impact on patient care.

Why I Chose Cincinnati
I chose the University of Cincinnati because it felt like I found my people. I remember finishing the interview day and needing a few minutes to wrap my mind around how much fun I had talking with strangers about cartoons or patient empowerment. It was also the least sweaty interview day of the season and that felt very important.
 

Education

DO: Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine