Busy biochemist mom becomes doctor, realizing dream

Between an elementary school awards ceremony and her clinical rotation in pediatric genetics, graduating medical student Krystal Nolan stopped for a few minutes to reflect on the journey that brought her to this moment.  

It’s evident that she doesn’t often stop moving – she doesn’t have the time, nor does it seem to be in her nature. Following a postbaccalaureate fellowship with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and earning a doctorate in biomedical sciences, this mother of five is now graduating from medical school a year early.

“I like to keep busy,” she said, clearly an understatement.

A native of Eastern Kentucky, Nolan grew up as a competitive swimmer and swam collegiately for Catholic University, where she met her husband, a fellow swimmer. She also played soccer and danced along the way but always “had a mind for science.” While still in high school, she did a presentation on a genetic syndrome, a topic that would prove to be close to her life and work in the years to come.

After earning her undergraduate degree in biochemistry, Nolan was awarded a highly competitive Post-baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award and spent a year as a fellow at the NIH. She thought about medical school but decided to come to MUSC in 2010 to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. In her six years of pre-doctoral research, she studied how certain signaling proteins affect the epigenetics of prostate cancer progression. 

Joe B. Blumer, Ph.D., associate professor of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, was on her dissertation committee and later taught her during medical school. “I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have played a small part in Krystal’s educational journey,” he said.  “Krystal’s ability to consolidate her talents, skills and perspectives as a researcher, teacher, physician and parent have ultimately culminated in a truly exceptional graduate.”

 

Nolan entered graduate school single with no children, but that soon changed. She married and had two children while earning her Ph.D.

Although thoughts of medical school lingered, she decided to join the faculty of The Citadel for three and a half years. Her perspective began to change, however, when her third child, Patrick, was born with a rare chromosomal anomaly syndrome, resulting from the partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 20. Paddy, as he is called by his parents, began to have seizures.

As a parent of a child with medical issues, Nolan heard over and over parents saying, “I don’t know much about my kid’s condition. I don’t understand what they’re saying.”

“That’s when I started on this path,” she reflected. “I wanted to help others.”

Sitting alongside fellow parents facing complex medical diagnoses for their children and struggling to understand, she saw the need for more easily digestible information for both parents and health care providers, ensuring it’s delivered in a way that meets the family’s needs. This led her to pursue a career as a physician. 

Upon entering medical school, Nolan learned about the College of Medicine’s Accelerated Medical Pathways (AMP) program, which condenses the medical school curriculum from the typical four years to three. This meant that the mother – then of four children – would have fewer breaks and less time for elective rotations often used for career exploration. This month, while other graduates are winding down, she is doing one more clinical rotation in the pediatric intensive care unit while also completing the requirements for Internship 101, a preparatory course for graduates entering residency. 

“AMP isn’t for everyone,” said Donna Kern, M.D., senior associate dean for Medical Education, noting that Nolan was an excellent candidate for the program. “She was certain about her career interest, academically prepared to complete an accelerated learning plan and demonstrates an almost unparalleled level of determination.”

 

Following a nontraditional path to medical school was one that Nolan believes helped her. She encourages others not to let having children or other dependents dissuade them from applying. She has the same advice for anyone with a disability, mentioning in passing that she has a hearing disability that requires assistive devices. On all fronts, having the support you need to succeed is critical, she said, reiterating how important her husband, a defense contractor and member of the National Guard, has been throughout her journey.

“Being able to go with the flow” is important, Nolan said with a laugh.

This concept again became important when Nolan’s youngest child was born a year ago during her pediatric neurology rotation. True to form, she “took off three or four days” then got back to the business of learning.

As for Paddy, his seizures have been resolved, and he will enter first grade this fall. Still, the impact of his experience changed the course of Nolan’s study and career path.

“I do think things happen for a reason,” she said. “I don’t think I would have ended up in genetics or medical school without Paddy.”

Paddy and his siblings are looking ahead to swim team and other summer activities, and Nolan is excited to start her residency in Pediatrics at MUSC in June. She’s one step closer to making her mark in pediatric genetics and considering developmental pediatrics. 

“I know that what I really want to do is help other parents.”