Born with congenital hearing loss that led to cochlear implantation, Jacob Fliegelman was motivated to become a doctor at a young age. He understands firsthand the importance of supporting and advocating for patients in their time of need. “The process of receiving cochlear implants and navigating the transition to a hearing world has given me a unique perspective on the challenges and uncertainties often faced by patients and their loved ones,” he shares. “The opportunity to make a profound impact on individuals and communities makes medicine a deeply fulfilling career for me to pursue.”
Jacob was intent on continuing to learn in Yeshiva part-time while earning his pre-med degree, which made Touro an obvious choice for his undergrad studies. “Aligned with my religious beliefs and values, Touro embraced the importance I attached to maintaining my daily learning routine in Yeshiva while incorporating the necessary undergraduate coursework.” As an Orthodox Jew, he also appreciated that he’d be supported by a community of like-minded individuals in an environment where the religious needs of the students were accommodated.
After a fulfilling undergraduate experience, the decision to continue at Touro for medical school was an easy one for Jacob, particularly after visiting New York Medical College (NYMC). “I was thoroughly taken by the warmth and dedicated nature exuded by the faculty and administration.” Similarly positive interactions with the medical students enrolled at the school – along with NYMC's comprehensive and innovative approach to medical education – helped to cement his decision. “I was confident that NYMC was the institution best suited to equip me with the tools to become a capable physician.”
Jacob is now earning his medical degree from NYMC, where he’s learning fundamental skills and exploring potential specialties. “NYMC facilitates interactions with alumni who specialize in various medical fields,” he enthuses. “Opportunities to engage with alumni in different specialties have enabled me to make connections and given me insight into areas I may not have otherwise considered.” He’s also impressed by the school’s emphasis on clerkships, which “provide invaluable opportunities to actively engage in patient care and develop essential skills under the guidance of experienced clinicians.”
Eventually, Jacob plans to build on his deep involvement in otology to work in the field of otolaryngology (ENT), where he hopes to advocate for and improve the lives of patients with hearing-related issues. He’s also potentially interested in oncology and providing lifesaving care for patients with cancer. Whichever path he chooses, he feels well-prepared by Touro to improve lives, advocate for vulnerable populations, and work towards creating a healthier and more equitable society. “I want to be the source of hope and solace to patients and their families in times of uncertainty.”
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DESCRIPTION: Text, HEALTHCARE HEROES GET THEIR START AT TOURO. TOURO UNIVERSITY.
DESCRIPTION: A blonde, short-haired, male student, Coby, wearing a black backpack in a medical white coat walking up modern looking stairs, set against a glass wall with beautiful greenery in the background.
COBY FLIEGELMAN: My name is Coby Fliegelman. I'm a medical student here at New York Medical College. What inspired me to become a physician was really my early life experience.
DESCRIPTION: Coby walks down a different flight of stairs and enters a library where he pulls out a book to review while standing near the shelves. We see a close up of his cochlear implant on the side of his head.
COBY FLIEGELMAN: I was born profoundly deaf. My ENT performed surgery on me, and he really changed the trajectory of my life.
DESCRIPTION: Coby sits for his interview in a gray room with large windows seen on the right. In the background is a couch and hung on the wall are framed images which are out of focus. TEXT: Jacob (Coby) Fliegelman. Touro’s Lander College of Arts and Sciences. New York Medical College.
COBY FLIEGELMAN: Modern medicine gave me the ability to experience the world like other individuals, and I feel the internal desire and motivation to help others in a similar fashion.
DESCRIPTION: Coby is walking confidently outside wearing his white coat and a stethoscope around his neck. Coby enters a building on the NYMC campus and continues on his way.
COBY FLIEGELMAN: My experience in Touro of Flatbush was a wonderful environment. It equipped me with the tools to enter medical school and toe that line of being connected to Yiddishkeit while at the same time pursuing a medical career.
DESCRIPTION: Coby speaks in a friendly manner with a fellow student in the library.
COBY FLIEGELMAN: When I was looking where to attend medical school, New York Medical College stood out. The warmth and the pleasantness that they exuded in wanting to know more about my life, more about my experience, and why I wanted to go into medicine really attracted me to coming here.
DESCRIPTION: Coby, another student, and a white-haired professor stand in a science lab, reviewing petri dishes with purple solution, inspecting them by holding them up to the light and discussing the research.
COBY FLIEGELMAN: My relationship with the professors on campus is professional, collaborative. The professors are always available. You send them a quick email if you have any questions, and they're always there, responding in a very rapid fashion.
DESCRIPTION: A sign on an internal wall: Esther and Ben Chouake Simulation Center. Medical instruments are seen on the wall. Coby is in an exam room with a model patient, sitting on a stool, going over her medical diagnosis in a professional and friendly manner.
COBY FLIEGELMAN: New York Medical College is providing me with the tools to enter any specialty and to be able to change people's lives for the better.
DESCRIPTION: Text, HEALTHCARE HEROES GET THEIR START AT TOURO. SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES, TOURO UNIVERSITY. TOURO.EDU/POWERYOURPATH
