On May 22, 2025, Montana WWAMI fourth-year medical student Darcie Caldwell delivered a powerful, personal reflection while representing her class during the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Transition to Residency plenary session. Her speech highlighted the emotional depth of medical training, and the bonds forged within the WWAMI program.
In her speech, Caldwell likened the WWAMI journey to fishing in deep waters — a metaphor inspired by filmmaker David Lynch, who was born in Missoula. where she completed most of her rotations.
“If you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper,” she said. “Down deep the fish are more powerful and pure.”
“We have been fishing in deep water,” she told her classmates. “We were exposed to trauma that made our stomachs hurt, and we were reminded to hold those we love more tightly… It is in deep water that beauty is found.”
She spoke candidly about the personal and collective challenges faced during clinical training, the emotional toll of patient care, and the resilience required to keep showing up.
“There is no flow chart, algorithm or cute mnemonic for these moments,” she said. “You just have to feel them.”
Now preparing to begin her residency in psychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, Caldwell closed her speech with a call to compassion and unity. “Health is not a competition,” she said. “We are all here because we believe every person walking this earth deserves a chance to be well and a chance to heal.”
Reflecting on the experience, Caldwell added, “Our class has developed such a beautiful connection, and it felt really special to represent that. I’m so excited to see what my friends, and now colleagues, will go on to achieve.”