When asked what inspired her to become a doctor, Holliday said:
“I made the decision to become a doctor at the very young age of 6 years old. I had an African American female pediatrician who inspired me to become a pediatrician as well. She was so intelligent, compassionate and kind. I was able to see myself in her. From that time on, I made the decision that I would be a ‘baby doctor.’ I loved science and learning about the human body. I took a medical science class in high school where I trained to become a CNA and I loved being in the hospital and interacting with patients. I think becoming a pediatrician is my calling and I’m extremely blessed to live my dream.”
Bell also knew at a young age that he wanted to become a pharmacist. “During high school I had the opportunity to participate in a summer internship at UIC’s College of Pharmacy that exposed me to the many career possibilities in pharmacy. During this time I became fascinated with how medications alter the body and treat diseases. I spent my senior year working at CVS Pharmacy and that solidified my passion for the field. During undergrad, I became more interested in the clinical aspects of pharmacy and decided that I wanted to pursue a residency after pharmacy to further my therapeutic expertise.”
Although it was easy to assume that the pressures of completing their residencies would impact their relationship significantly, the couple makes it a priority to keep each other first.
“We cook and eat dinner together and make it a point to have date nights where we spend time just focusing on one another,” says Holliday. “We also both enjoy working out and try to go to the gym together as often as we can. Professional school is often very demanding but we just try to find as many ways to connect and enjoy one another’s company as possible.”