Dr. Michelle Ciubuc is an anesthesiologist in intensive care department, having recently received her medical degree from the Universitatea de Medicina Carol Davila, Bucharest Romania. An AISB Alumna, Class of 2014, Michelle is a member of the AISB Alumni Association and currently serves on the Editorial Team of the World Magazine.
 

Talking with Michelle: 

WM: What is your fondest memory of AISB?

MC: AISB is an entire book of funny moments, intense times, and fond memories. Even today I value all the important lessons Mrs. Melody Wong has taught me, I hold onto my strongest friendships, and I appreciate how the American and the international systems have structured me. My favorite times were the CEESA tournaments and the pep rallies, where the entire school gathered to cheer and
support the community.

WM: If you were to pick one thing that you feel AISB education left you with, what would that be?

MC: The ability to be open-minded and adapt to any situation.

WM: How has education at AISB inspired you in what you got to do next?

MC: The school’s broad range of important values had a big impact on me from a young age. I decided to pursue a career in medicine after Mrs. Trixie Siemens went the extra mile and helped me understand how much science defined who I am.

WM: Tell us a bit about your journey to Medicine, Cardiology and then ICU

MC: As any other medical student, I initially dreamed of being a surgeon. A short while after understanding human pathophysiology I realized that I wanted a challenging specialty that would teach me to react in any circumstance. Cardiology was a great passion of mine and the first step towards that, but in pursuit of more adrenaline, I chose anesthesiology and intensive care as my specialty. This field shapes doctors to manage critical patients and respond well under huge amounts of pressure.

WM: On a different topic, why did you get involved with the Alumni Association? How do you feel that you are making a difference in this
way?

MC: AISB has played a great role in my evolution as a citizen of the world and as a doctor. Having such great impact on me, I wanted to stay in toych and give back to the community by actively organizing events relevant for students who are looking to discover their identities. There was no better way than joining this team of wonderful and smart people!

WM: Any messages you have for current AISB students?

MC: Stay focused on discovering who you are and what best suits your needs! Don’t ever underestimate how useful the skills you gather now will be later on. I’m always here for those who have questions regarding medicine.

Talking with CIUBUC FAMILY

WM: What do you remember from being part of the AISB Community?

CF: We have a lot of beautiful memories from that time. Our lives practically spinned in the same circle - international days, school plays and other community events. We would always find the solution to any problem with a lot of understanding. 

WM: Have you maintained relationships with the AISB Community? Tell us a bit about those.

CF: Yes, definitely! We’ve formed friendships that will last a lifetime. Even to this day we meet parents who currently have their kids at AISB and once we mention that Sandra and Michelle are alumni, it feels like we’ve known each other since forever.

WM: Looking at what Michelle is doing today, how do you feel her time at AISB has contributed?

CF: AISB has left a huge mark on the lives of our girls. It comes naturally to them to organize fundraising activities and this empathy clearly comes from their days at AISB. This is the place where they learned to be creative, to work with others, and to discover themselves. Our values as parents and those of the school’s have always been a perfect match. We’re also very excited for our first grandson to start kindergarten at AISB very soon!

WM: Any messages for the AISB parent and student community?

CF: We encourage parents to constantly stay involved in their children’s education by collaborating with the school hand in hand. We thank the AISB team for being actively involved even after students graduate!
 

Introduction and interview questions
by Cătălina Gărdescu,
AISB Manager of Admissions & External Relations


 

Read here the whole edition of World Magazine Spring 2021