Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Missouri State University alumnus Dr. Carlton Homan graduated in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in cell and molecular biology (CMB) and a minor in chemistry.
Four years later, he has completed medical school at the University of Missouri School of Medicine (SOM). He has also begun his first-year plastic surgery residency at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
“My faculty and co-residents here are amazing people, friends and mentors. I’ve only been here for a few months, and they already feel like family,” Homan said.
Since starting medical school, surgery — particularly plastic surgery — interested him.
“I enjoyed the operative complexity and diversity ranging from excision of small skin lesions to large free tissue transfer using microsurgical principles to reconstruct various parts of the body,” Homan said. “My mentors also motivated me to pursue this competitive and challenging field.”
Homan notes he chose Emory for his training because he wanted to train at a center with “high operative volumes and a reputation of clinical excellence.”
“Emory has an outstanding reputation and a long history of innovation in the field of plastic surgery,” he said.
From PA to MD
When Homan, who is from Florence, Missouri, started college, his goal was to pursue a career as a physician assistant (PA). The outstanding PA program in the McQueary College of Health and Human Services drew him to Missouri State.
But he soon realized he wanted to be a physician instead.
“The quality of education and mentorship within the CMB department is what inspired my decision,” Homan said.
A strong foundation
He credits his time at Missouri State for laying the foundation for his success at medical school. This in turn laid the groundwork for his current residency.
While several people offered valuable guidance and positively impacted his life, Homan names a few faculty members who stood out — his advisor Dr. Amanda Brodeur (a former assistant professor), faculty emeritus Dr. Richard Garrad and former faculty member Dr. Lyon Hough.
“Dr. Hough shared his love for anatomy and encouraged me to be an anatomy teaching assistant, which was a great experience. My anatomy class was one of the first times I felt strongly that I might want to be a surgeon,” he said.
As a student, Homan participated in several clubs and organizations, and held leadership roles. These included the Pre-PA Society (treasurer), Pre-Medical Society (community service chair and president) and Physicians Without Borders Student Chapter (social secretary).
Homan also had the opportunity to work as a medical scribe in the emergency departments at both Mercy Hospital and CoxHealth.
“It was some of my greatest experience and preparation for medical school,” he said. “My co-workers were great people who were interested in my success as a future physician.”
Taking on medical school
At Mizzou, Homan engaged in basic science and clinical research, exploring areas ranging from endocrinology and trauma surgery to ear, nose and throat (ENT) and ophthalmology.
During his third and fourth year of the program, he chose to attend the Springfield Clinical Campus. His positive experiences at MSU, Mercy and Cox influenced the decision.
Besides excelling in his academics, Homan was actively involved in other endeavors. Among them were leadership roles in the ENT interest group and surgery interest group. He also served as a student ambassador, Liaison Committee on Medical Education site visit volunteer and curriculum board representative for the Springfield Clinical Campus.
“I’m very grateful for the time and experience afforded to me during my time at Mizzou SOM,” he said.
Committed to learning and growing
According to Homan, he has learned more than he thought possible since MSU until now.
“With each new phase of training, that feeling continues,” he said. “At each stage of this career path, you have an extremely steep learning curve followed by a brief period of confidence where you think you almost have it figured out. Then, you find yourself right back at the bottom when you reach that next phase. It keeps you constantly pushing toward improvement.”
For those following in his footsteps to pursue a career in medicine, Homan stresses the importance of dedication.
“It’s a long and difficult path. You must be willing to delay gratification and be in it for the long haul,” he said.
He advises students to shadow in various specialties throughout college to find their area of interest and work in a hospital. This will expose them to various patient conditions and help them discover what they enjoy in medicine, as well as the challenges involved.
“Do everything you can to set yourself up for success and network as much as you can,” Homan said. “Overall, it’s an extremely rewarding career and well worth the struggles of training to make a difference for your patients!”