High-touch Medicine
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When fourth-year medical student Terry Derias was looking for a school, she had strict criteria. She wanted ample variety, both in patients and clinical experiences, as well as the space to work in her community and explore medical subspecialties.
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine offered all these opportunities. But it was the NextGenMD curriculum that sealed the deal.
“The NextGenMD curriculum attracted me to the Miller School because we have the opportunity to start our clinical rotations at the beginning of second year, almost a year earlier than most medical schools,” said Derias. “As a result, we get extra experience in both the hospital and clinic, and we get to figure out early on what specialties interest us. We also get more time toward the end of medical school to pursue things we are passionate about, such as research projects and community outreach.”
A Medical Family
Derias seemed destined for medical school. Her father is a physical therapist, and her mother was a veterinarian in Egypt before the couple emigrated to Florida.
The next generation followed suit. Her older sister went into anesthesiology and is a fourth-year resident at Brown University. Her younger sister is a second-year medical student at the University of Florida. The family is heavily motivated by the opportunities they’ve had.
“I feel fortunate that my parents decided to emigrate to provide the best chance for my sisters and me to pursue our passions,” said Derias. “They always encouraged us to be the best we could be and follow our dreams. As a result of their sacrifice, my sisters and I were able to take advantage of all of the amazing opportunities here to go to medical school and become physicians.”
Taking on Barriers to Care
Growing up, Derias encountered poverty and associated health issues on her summer visits to her family’s village in Egypt. She lost family members, who passed away far too young because the barriers to care were just too high. That was hard to deal with when she was a child. Now, it’s a motivator.
As an undergraduate, she joined a research lab that gave her opportunities to work with underserved patients, setting the stage for medical school. She’s found the barriers to care in the U.S. are similar to the ones she’d seen in Egypt, particularly for rural and impoverished Americans. In medical school, Derias volunteered at Doctors Within Borders, a free clinic for unhoused patients.
“My work in college, and later in medical school, really opened my eyes to the struggles patients have in the United States,” said Derias. “This is where I’m living right now and where I’m training, so it’s where my work and impact have to start. But I’m also looking forward to being part of global medical opportunities in the future.”
Cultural Competency in Medicine
Sometimes, physicians and patients don’t speak the same cultural languages, which can make it difficult to provide great care. This is particularly true in psychiatry, Derias’ chosen field. To overcome barriers, Derias spearheaded a study on improving cultural competency among medical students.
“I grew up hearing very interesting spiritual and cultural beliefs surrounding mental health disorders,” she said. “I feel physicians need that knowledge when treating patients. Many psychiatric illnesses are shaped by a patient’s beliefs and their culture can determine how they choose to seek care.”
To give physicians more context, she developed a cultural competency curriculum and taught it to Miller School students. She also implemented pre- and post-tests to measure the course’s effectiveness.
The study showed a statistically significant increase in the students’ cultural competency and confidence in treating diverse patients. It has been accepted as a poster at the upcoming American Psychiatric Association conference. The authors are also pursuing publication.
Patients First
The Miller School’s curriculum has more than met Derias’ expectations, helping her move into clinical care quickly. She prizes contact with patients and the ability to set them at ease in scary situations.
“You want people to feel safe and comfortable and to explain what’s happening to them in a way that they truly understand,” she said. “That is such a great feeling, because not every patient gets that in the hospital. If you can be the person who makes them feel more at ease during one of the most difficult times of their life, there’s nothing more rewarding.”
In addition to her studies and research, Derias is president of the University of Miami’s Gold Humanism Honor Society, a group of medical students, residents and physicians who are committed to providing compassionate care. Through the society, she helped launch a program called “No One Dies Alone.”
“Some people don’t have the luxury of having family by their side, even in their final moments, which is heartbreaking,” said Derias. “Having a roster of Gold Humanism volunteers who can be with those patients is incredibly meaningful. It’s important to preserve the humanistic side of medicine because the challenges of the field can sometimes shift focus away from personal connection. By reminding medical students to prioritize compassion and empathy, we hope to keep that human connection in medicine alive.”
Like many students, Derias is eagerly waiting for Match Day in March, when she will learn where she will be completing her residency. After that, she hopes to join a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship.
“Many of the psychiatry patients I see are still struggling with unresolved traumas they experienced in childhood, and I often wonder how differently things could have turned out for them if we could have intervened at a younger age,” said Derias. “I feel like we can make such a big difference in the lives of people by helping them in childhood, when these adverse experiences initially occurred. The field of child and adolescent psychiatry can completely change the trajectory of a kid’s life and hopefully get them on track to becoming a happy, healthy adult.”
Tags: Gold Humanism Honor Society, Match Day, Match Day 2025, medical students, Miller School of Medicine, psychiatry, student leadership