Raise Your Hand: A Memoir

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Eight-year-old Patti is caught reading by her mother, who warns her against being a "bookworm" since it might hinder her chances of marriage. Faced with an educational disadvantage due to her unschooled parents, she seeks validation through academic competition with her peers. Despite achieving good grades, her parents disown her when she expresses a desire to attend college. Determined, she finds her way to college, where she emulates positive role models and steers clear of negative influences. Eventually, she earns a PhD in Anatomy from UCLA Medical School, embarking on a journey filled with learning and discovery, including fieldwork in Africa and cultural experiences in Europe. Upon returning to the USA, she joins the faculty at Washington University School of Medicine, but her scientific career is marred by frequent misogyny. Confident in her medical science background, Patti shifts to clinical medicine and obtains her MD from Washington University. She discovers her true calling as a physician, blending her roles as a healer and teacher. Through her patients' stories, she develops empathy and understanding of personal dignity. Along the way, she finds true love and achieves a fulfilling balance between family and career.