Thomas Rubino

Meet Thomas Rubino!

What is your favorite thing about Pitt Med?

I have truly enjoyed getting to know my classmates, instructors, and other staff. Everyone is so welcoming! Academically, my peers are collaborative and share resources to ensure everyone in the class has the tools to succeed. Outside of the classroom, we do something fun like go to a Pitt football game (H2P!) or get together for dinner and a movie.

Faculty instructors and class facilitators have been nothing short of amazing as well. Whether it be sticking around after class to chat, offering research opportunities, or inviting us to shadow them, it has been great seeing how supportive our educators have been in ensuring our success.

Do you have any specialties of interest? What are your career aspirations post-graduation?

I love the heart! Right now, I can see myself going into some form of cardiology, with the front runners being interventional and adult congenital.

I am currently in a cardiac surgery Professional Enrichment Course. Whether it be in the classroom, the cadaver lab, volunteering with cardiology at the Birmingham Clinic, or shadowing, every encounter I have had with the heart has been positive.

I was selected to be one of the coordinators for the Cardiology and Pulmonology Student Interest Group, and that has been a blast organizing and hosting events related to the heart for my classmates.

Tell me some fun facts!  

Before I was a medical student at Pitt, I was a patient. In 2015, I had open-heart surgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital to correct my congenital heart defects. My experience is a big reason why I was drawn to medicine, and why I wanted to come to Pitt Med!

 I have since had opportunities to work with the people involved with my care.  Dr. Cecilia Lo, the developmental biologist at Children’s Hospital, recruited me to their study before my surgery.  I’ve also developed a mentor relationship with Dr. Victor Morell, the doctor who performed my surgery.

Outside of medicine, I am a former college football player, I love to sing jazz standards, and the coolest experience I have ever had was conducting research and helping to sail a research vessel along the coast of New Zealand for my study abroad experience.