skip to main content
Michael Wilkes
Michael Wilkes
01:02

Michael Wilkes

University of California, Davis

Sacramento, CA USA

"Be humble and remember, for better or for worse, you’re only human."

Career Roadmap

Michael's work combines: Medicine, Education, and Helping People

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Professor of Medicine and Global Health

I research global health issues, work to improve medical education, and treat patients at a high risk teen clinic.

01:08

Day In The Life Of A Professor Of Medicine And Global Health

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

I've struggled with imposter syndrome throughout my education and career. It stems from my experience going through school with pretty significant learning disabilities and is something I sometimes still struggle with now. While the feeling is certainly a hurdle, it also pushes me to keep learning every day. The field of medicine needs people who aren't afraid to admit they don't know something. We need people who will ask questions and stay determined to find answers.

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Vassar College

  • Doctorate

    Medicine

    University of Connecticut

  • Graduate Degree

    Public Health

    Columbia University

  • Doctorate

    Social Epidemiology

    UCLA

Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    After graduating from college, I started my career as a journalist.

  • 2.

    I’d interview accomplished people who would describe the potential efficacy of a drug or policy but when I’d ask how they knew, they told me I wouldn’t understand—so I decided to go to medical school.

  • 3.

    I kept working as a television journalist through medical school and went back into journalism full-time after graduating.

  • 4.

    I started feeling like something in my life was missing—I wanted to work with patients and ask real research questions, not just journalism questions.

  • 5.

    I explored a few different residencies—psychiatry, internal medicine, preventive medicine and public health—before deciding to stick to becoming an internist.

  • 6.

    In addition to my MD, I earned a Master of Public Health and a Ph.D. in global epidemiology.

  • 7.

    I currently work as a professor of medicine and global health at UC Davis and I run a high risk clinic for homeless teens.

  • 8.

    I’ve also continued pursuing my journalistic interests by hosting the KCRW medical radio show, “Second Opinion.”

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Myself:

    I'm a fake and a fraud. I've fooled all these people and I'm going to be found out.

  • How I responded:

    I've struggled with imposter syndrome throughout my education and career. It stems from my experience going through school with pretty significant learning disabilities and is something I sometimes still struggle with now. While the feeling is certainly a hurdle, it also pushes me to keep learning every day. The field of medicine needs people who aren't afraid to admit they don't know something. We need people who will ask questions and stay determined to find answers.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • I struggled with significant learning disabilities in school. If my elementary school teachers saw me now, they'd be shocked. I was in special education classes as a kid and now I'm a doctor and professor tackling big issues in health and medicine.

  • I always felt like I could do more but I was afraid because it felt like I was faking it at every turn and that I was going to be found out. I think this stems from my learning issues in school, but I still sometimes struggle with these feelings now.