Ryan Blake
“During my time as nursing aide, I was truly able to tell how appreciative the patients were in this specific work environment and wanted to be the difference I saw.”
Non-traditional student Ryan Blake could be described as an engineer through and through.
Afterall, he graduated from West Virginia University in 2017 with a bachelor’s in engineering, then went on to obtain a graduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
But he also knew he wanted to help people heal from orthopedic-related problems, which was influenced by his experience working as a nursing aide on a joint-care floor in a hospital.
“During my time as nursing aide, I was truly able to tell how appreciative the patients were in this specific work environment and wanted to be the difference I saw,” he said.
During his graduate studies, he considered completing a Ph.D. and researching orthopedic biomechanics while also weighing medical school as an option. But ultimately, after a student-led M.D. program tour at WVU, and with support from his family, Blake made the decision that he wanted to pursue medical school.
He said his non-traditional path has absolutely been the right decision for him because it’s given him the chance to do what he actually feels passionate about. He’s enjoyed and overcome the difficulties of medical school, so far, but he never considered what a benefit a graduate degree in engineering would be.
Through engineering, he’s built an extensive background to connect with mentors, understand the mechanics of the human body and provide good outcomes to his future patients.
“When I talk to orthopedic surgeons and they use words I learned in engineering, it’s definitely unexpected and helps pique my interest. So, I always tell everyone, I don't think I gave up engineering, I just developed it in a different direction,” Blake said.
As he is taking steps toward his goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, the John W. Traubert White Coat Ceremony will mark a milestone for him as he starts his clinical learning.
“When I was starting out, I used to be embarrassed to say what I wanted to do because so many people like or want to do orthopedics. But, every year, as it goes by and more pieces of the puzzle come together, I feel a little bit more confident. I can tell myself I'm still serious. I haven't quit yet. I'm still doing everything I have to do. With every milestone, my chest is pushed out a little more than the last time when I say I want to do orthopedics,” Blake said.
Blake went to a small high school in Somerset County, Pennsylvania and had no family involved in the medical field. However, his wife, Abigail, has family in the medical field, specifically her father, Dr. John Cotter. Blake said he has lots of supporters, but his wife and father-in-law are two of the biggest.
“I couldn't have made this decision when I was 22, so for me, I think I had to have those extra years. I still am terrified every day of things not working out, but the non-traditional path is what worked for me. I've just been keeping my head down and doing it and, so far, it's worked out how I wanted it to,” Blake concluded.