Dr. Mom
10 Kids Didn’t Stop Her from Graduating #1 in Her Medical School Class
As a Hasidic mother of 10 in her late 30s, Alexandra Friedman ambitiously set out to reconnect with her early adulthood passion for medicine, which began right after college with an NIH research grant. Undaunted by family size, household and communal responsibilities, she persevered through a master’s degree, relocating her family twice, and ultimately graduating #1 in her class at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. She recovered from three pregnancies and births during med school and juggled many hats to become Dr. Friedman.
“Medical school is a struggle for most students, who are single and have no children,” marveled Dr. Kenneth Steier, DO, Executive Dean of TouroCOM, commenting on how much Dr. Friedman has accomplished. “Dr. Friedman is married and raising all those children and attending medical school! And she had the highest average in the whole class. She just powered through it.”
“Touro’s Jewish holiday and Sabbath schedule seamlessly accommodated my religious preferences and enabled the attainment of my dream,” said Alexandra. Her goal is to provide excellent pediatric care utilizing her skills and knowledge base. This Touro alum’s personal mission aligns naturally with that of her alma mater. Just as Touro equally educates and empowers students of all backgrounds to actualize their abilities, Dr. Friedman plans to incorporate religious sensitivity and cultural awareness to accommodate all patients.