From inspiration to impact: a student’s journey toward a life in medicine

Robert Grischy, Med ’26, was in eighth grade when his grandfather’s treatment for prostate cancer opened his eyes to the humanity and healing powers of medicine.

“I remember how often he talked about his oncologists — not just how they treated his disease, but how they treated him as a person,” Grischy says. “He would always say that he might not be alive if it weren’t for their care, and he was deeply grateful for the way they connected with him. Even at that young age, I could see the profound impact those doctors had on his health and on our entire family. It was the first time I realized that being a physician meant being a source of healing and hope for loved ones as well as for patients.”

Grischy, from Mason, Ohio, embarked on a pre-med track, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in pharmaceutical sciences. Following his first year, he had the opportunity to shadow Alexander Saba, MD, a general surgeon and graduate of UC College of Medicine. “Dr. Saba wasn’t only a great teacher, but also a great person who always put his patients first. It was clear they trusted him deeply. He was their doctor, but also their friend, their teacher, and someone they could confide in. He once told me, ‘If you learn one thing from me, know that there is no better feeling than going to work every day knowing you can make a difference in someone’s life.’ That stuck with me — and it was that experience that truly solidified my desire to become a physician.”

UC was Grischy’s top choice for medical school, and once he was accepted, he withdrew all other applications. He has flourished with support from faculty physicians, residents and nurses. He is also grateful for donors who have supported his scholarship. “I would tell them thank you, and it means a lot more than people may think. We truly wouldn’t be able to do and learn the things we do, or have the great faculty and staff and resources we have, if it weren’t for all the people who help make UC a great program.”

Grischy vividly recalls receiving a letter from the individual who supported him at the White Coat Ceremony that marked the beginning of his medical school education. “It gives us motivation, as students, to pay it forward in the future,” he says. “I will someday want to donate to UC because of all the people who have helped us.” 

Grischy discovered his future specialty — anesthesia — during a panel presentation where attending physicians spoke about their specialties. He viewed anesthesia as “a complex interaction of physiology, pharmacology, and critical care medicine” as well as a team-based endeavor in which “anesthesiologists“ are essentially the internists of the OR.” He became co-president of the college’s Anesthesia Interest Group, and this year he will have a 2.5-month immersion in anesthesia training.

“In anesthesiology, you have only a brief window to establish confidence and security with patients before they undergo one of the most vulnerable experiences of their lives,” he says. “Patients entrust anesthesia providers with their lives while they are unconscious, relying on provider expertise, vigilance, and commitment to their well-being. This responsibility is both humbling and motivating.”

Looking ahead, Grischy hopes to secure an anesthesiology residency at UC and then continue caring for people in the Greater Cincinnati community and giving back to future medical students. “Medicine is not always sunshine and rainbows,” he says. “There’s a lot of difficult cases you see in medicine, but you can truly make a difference in these people’s lives. You’re providing for someone with a unique life experience, background and history. I’m forever grateful for having the opportunity to pursue a career in medicine.”

Featured image at top: Robert Grischy is a student in UC's College of Medicine. Photo/UC Alumni Association