Ronald Lontchi

For Ronald Lontchi, becoming a doctor is deeply personal. After seeing his brother become a quadriplegic after a surgical operation, a career in medicine was the last thing he wanted. But then he joined the U.S. Army, and his first job was as a surgical technologist. “This job gave me a first-hand look at the procedure my brother went through. I felt the emotions the doctor experienced when they didn’t get the results they wanted and how they pushed themselves to rectify it as was done with my brother. That was the moment I decided I wanted to work in medicine,” Ronald explained.

Determined to turn his dream into reality, he applied and was accepted to Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM)’s interdisciplinary master’s program. He credits Professor Rich from TouroCOM’s anatomy department for guiding him through the process. “Dr. Rich explained how rigorous the program is but said that if I focus and work hard, it can get me into TouroCOM’s medical school. She taught me efficiency in studying for a better learning experience,” he said. “A year later, I became her class representative as a first-year medical student. She has been mentoring me towards my career goal by providing me with resources and support.”

Despite the challenges of medical school, Ronald is thankful to everyone at TouroCOM for their guidance and personal attention. “Whether it’s the librarians, who are instrumental in providing research resources, or the professors and faculty, who are always available, I have been fortunate to find the help I need, academic or personal,” he said.

After medical school, Ronald has big plans of working in the operating room. “I want to be either an orthopedic surgeon, just like the ones who took care of my brother, or an anesthesiologist,” he said. “However, there are many different fields I have yet to be exposed to but whichever one I go into, it will be with 100% commitment.”