We had a chance to speak with Dr. Adam Rotunda ’96, M.D., F.A.A.D., F.A.C.M.S. (so many letters!) who graduated from the College of Human Ecology as a Nutritional Sciences major. Currently serving as a private dermatological surgeon in Newport Beach, CA, Dr. Rotunda has had experiences in the pharmaceutical industry at Allergan, Inc., has authored over 50 original scientific articles and book chapters, and has lectured and chaired expert panels at over 60 national and international physician conferences. Here are some of his words of wisdom from our interview.
How did a Human Ecology education prepare him for medical school and his career?
Coming into Cornell, Dr. Rotunda was not sure about what he wanted to do. He had a passion for science and health, but was not sure about medical school. At Cornell, he encountered a profound and incredible breadth of opportunity. Human Ecology provided him with endless opportunities to be challenged, to succeed, and to fail. At medical school, Dr. Rotunda discovered that his Cornell education prepared him very well for the challenges ahead. “Medical school is like Cornell times ten – it’s incredibly rigorous and you have to develop a new mindset: to think, act, and talk like a physician.” His academic background in Nutritional Sciences helped him immensely in his courses by providing him with a solid foundation and background, as well as the tools required for this type of intensive study. He found that above all, Cornell provided him with the mental “endurance” to succeed in medical school.
What helped shape his path as he navigated college, medical school, and the real world?
Dr. Rotunda considered careers as a dietician, a teaching PhD student, and physical medicine before deciding on medical school. After not being accepted at medical school during his first round of applications, Dr. Rotunda worked as a nutritionist and personal trainer while reapplying for medical schools. At medical school, he took every opportunity he could to explore new fields and gain different experiences. Even in medical school, he was not sure what he would do next. After working incredibly hard and putting all of his effort in medical school, Dr. Rotunda moved to California to begin specializing in dermatology. There, he fell in love with dermatological surgery and skin cancer treatment and completed his fellowship, becoming a Mohs surgeon. After spending over thirteen years in schooling, Dr. Rotunda decided to take a break and enter the pharmaceutical industry. He described the experience as, “a very unique opportunity he could have never have planned for. After being at Allergan for about two years, I knew I was meant to open up a practice and return to my roots in dermatology.”
What impacts have mentors and experiences outside of Cornell, specifically your Urban Semester, had on his career?
Mentors have had a profound impact on Dr. Rotunda’s life. One mentor in particular, Dr. Virginia Utermohlen of Nutritional Sciences, changed Dr. Rotunda’s entire career path. She encouraged him to participate in the Urban Semester program and in doing so, sparked his interest in medicine and surgery. There were realistic obstacles in participating in the Urban Semester program, such as arranging his courses and having to take summer classes, but Dr. Rotunda found it, “necessary to leave campus to gain a bigger perspective on life.” While in the bubble of Ithaca, he found that he spent the majority of his time working in lab or studying, not making the most of his opportunities to explore the medical industry. While studying in New York, he discovered his passion for surgery and medicine through another mentor, Dr. Phil Barie at Cornell Weill Medical School. “I had an epiphany of sorts,” said Dr. Rotunda, “I saw that I wanted to do medicine.” In medical school, he found that mentorships were extremely important in securing competitive positions in research and work experience.
What advice does he have for students interested in medicine?
“If you seek answers outside of yourself, you’ll always be looking. Introspection is facilitated by exposing yourself to different scenarios that challenge you on many levels – academically, emotionally, ethically, intellectually – and challenge your interests.” Dr. Rotunda found that taking new and unusual opportunities helped expose him to what he disliked and what he loved. From spontaneously applying to the Urban Semester program to taking a break from medicine and moving into the pharmaceutical industry, he found that each different experience taught him important things about himself. He emphasized the importance of work experience, both through internships and shadowing, and explained that one cannot make a decision off of just one experience. He also stressed that it is okay and it is normal to not know what you want to do in life, even after you graduate. “Accept the fact that you are not going to make a decision – accept that you will be ambivalent and confused, accept the unknown, accept the opportunity that may not jive what you envision yourself to be. You are trained to find the answer at Cornell, to do well, to do extra work, but in the end, the irony is that it is okay to not find those things about yourself.”
If you are interested in the Urban Semester program (which according to Dr. Rotunda is an incredible and life-changing program) come to our info sessions coming up this month! Check back soon for more alumni spotlights!