When Kevin Enabulele arrived at UMass Medical School this year with classmates in the School of Medicine Class of 2023, he knew he had one advantage as he began his studies: older brother Skelly Enabulele, now in his third year in the School of Medicine.
Their brotherly love was front and center at the annual White Coat Ceremony on Sept. 13, as Skelly helped cloak Kevin. Each first-year medical student chooses who will participate with them in this rite of passage into the medical profession.
“One of my friends suggested the idea and it was too perfect to say no,” said Kevin. “I asked Skelly and he was really excited to do it!”
“I was more than honored,” said Skelly. “I got cloaked by my mom, and then to be able to cloak my younger brother was an amazing experience.”
The Enabuleles, from Abington, each decided to attend medical school while in college. Skelly’s experience on the Emergency Medical Services Team at Tufts University inspired him. Medicine came into focus for Kevin when the psychology major and medical humanities minor at Boston College volunteered as a student health coach.
His experience promoting mental health awareness and facilitating programs to educate students about healthy eating, sleeping, time management, and stress management made him further appreciate the focus on student health and well-being the brothers find at UMMS, he said.
“Coming from my role in the Office of Health Promotion [I know that] the student body needs to be healthy in order to produce good physicians,” Kevin reflected. “The importance this school places on that was comforting to hear during the interview process.”
“I want to echo the same thing,” said Skelly. “I’ve had a good group of people supporting me from the beginning. We all want to help each other get where we want to go, which is to become the best physicians that we can be.”
With his interest in sports medicine sparked while playing football in college, Skelly is considering applying for residencies in orthopedic surgery next year. And while it is too early for him to be sure, Kevin is leaning toward a neuroscientific specialty.
Both would be delighted if their younger siblings followed in their footsteps. “We have twin baby brothers who are currently sophomores at college,” said Skelly, as Kevin smiled in agreement. “Who knows, maybe they’ll end up here too!”
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Emotional ceremony marks first white coats for School of Medicine Class of 2023
