From Football to Friends and Physicians
Two former Assumption University football players, Vinnie DiCarlo ’22 and Toby Liska ’22, who once shared a dorm room and a playbook, are about to embark on their next challenge: medical school. While the paths they have taken to medicine may differ in their inspiration and future specialties, DiCarlo and Liska are united in their time as Greyhounds and in their common calling as physicians.
For some, that call appears early in life and endures into adulthood. “I’ve known I wanted to be a doctor since I was 15,” says Liska, who was inspired to enter the field by a cousin’s battle with cancer. “I’ve known this whole time – and diving into the field, particularly in college, solidified that decision.”
DiCarlo’s path had a different shape, uniquely influenced by his experience at Assumption. “I knew in high school that I wanted to keep playing football, and I got the opportunity to do that here.” But an ACL tear in his first year and the ensuing recovery process gave him firsthand experience with the impact medical providers have on patients’ lives. “All the training staff and the team doctors opened my eyes to becoming a doctor myself.”
Liska and DiCarlo were at different points on their journey to medical school during their time on Salisbury Street but shared much in common.
“We were both neuroscience majors, so we were in basically every class together,” says Liska. The two even lived together for a year, in the Living Learning Center, before Liska’s role as a resident assistant led him to Wachusett Hall.
Liska took the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) while at Assumption, while DiCarlo was still discerning his path. “I talked with a couple of faculty members about the steps toward medical school, like completing all the prerequisites I needed. But I was still considering doing a Ph.D. or something more research focused. So, I didn’t take the MCAT until last May,” says DiCarlo.
Toby Liska ’22, left; Vinnie DiCarlo ’22, right
In the fall, DiCarlo will matriculate at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and Liska at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. Liska plans to specialize in general surgery, while DiCarlo is interested in internal medicine and potentially a fellowship in sports medicine. Both cite faculty mentors as important influences and supporters on their paths to becoming physicians.
“My genetics and cancer biology professor, Dr. [Steven] Theroux, and my academic advisor, Dr. [Michele] Lemons, really helped me navigate the process of selecting schools and applying,” says DiCarlo. “They were a really great support system throughout my entire time at Assumption – and even after I graduated, just sending emails back and forth about strengthening my application and things like that.”
Beyond those names, Liska adds Professor Edward Dix, in the Department of Chemistry. “He was huge for me,” says Liska. “He was my mentor for my honors thesis and helped me through that writing process. He wrote a letter of recommendation that I’m sure helped in my application process – and we just vibed. I would also say Dr. Molly McGrath. She is just such a great teacher and helped me to really enjoy philosophy. She let me be myself.”
Asked if they’re nervous about making the leap into the next phase of their academic life and future careers, Liska answers resoundingly – with the same grit and confidence they displayed while wearing the white and the blue.
“If you want the real answer – I was made for this. I’ve wanted to do this for so long that I knew I couldn’t do anything else. It wasn’t a choice for me. I was going to make it happen.”