Today@Sam Article
A Full-Circle Moment: Medical Student Discovers Her Instructor Delivered Her at Birth
Jan. 28, 2025
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd
By Brittany Foreman
For Victoria Mousa, a fourth-year medical student at the Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM), medical school has always been a journey of learning and personal growth. But a recent discovery gave her story a remarkable, full-circle moment.
It all began when Mousa’s brother visited the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to renew his driver’s license. Among his paperwork was his birth certificate. Out of curiosity, he Googled the doctor’s name on it, only to find that she was not just any physician—she was a professor at his sister’s medical school. In disbelief, he sent Mousa a picture of the faculty page featuring Dr. Peggy Taylor, asking if she knew her.
“I was in total shock at first,” Mousa said. “I feel very honored to be taught how to be a physician by the physician that delivered me!”
A quick call to their mother confirmed that Taylor had been her OB-GYN and had delivered all three Mousa siblings. Neither their mother nor Taylor had realized the connection.
The timing of the discovery felt serendipitous. Mousa had learned about Taylor’s involvement in her birth a month earlier, but as a fourth-year medical student, she was away from SHSU-COM on her clinical rotations. During her obstetric anesthesia service at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Galveston—where Taylor also completed her residency—the connection became even more meaningful.
One day, while driving through Conroe on her way to a residency interview, Mousa stopped in at SHSU-COM to see if she could share the news in person. While visiting the COM, she ran into another faculty member, Dr. Candace Walkley, and shared the surprising connection.
“We went to find Taylor together,” Mousa said. “Walkley told her a student had a surprise to share, and when I revealed the news, Taylor was shocked and super excited! She hugged me and wanted to know all about my mom and my siblings, and what they were all doing.”
Taylor, who had delivered countless babies over her career, said it was a moment she had anticipated might happen someday. She was thrilled to hear about the paths Mousa and her siblings had taken.
For Mousa, this discovery has impacted the way she thinks about patient care. While she plans to specialize in anesthesiology, she’s been inspired by the influence physicians can have on their patients.
“Whether you deliver a baby or help someone on one of their hardest days, you leave an impression,” Mousa said. “Taylor’s positive impact on my family, and the joy she expressed at reconnecting decades later, showed me the profound influence of compassionate care.”
Mousa is particularly excited about her goal of going into anesthesiology.
“Anesthesia gives you a unique opportunity to work with every type of patient—from pediatric patients to laboring patients or critically ill adults,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to be there for someone on a tough day and help them wake up safely on the other side.”
She credits her osteopathic training for helping her feel prepared for her desired career in anesthesiology. The practice requires physicians to be in tune with physical landmarks across the body to isolate the specific areas to inject medication. Mousa credits her education at SHSU-COM with giving her the confidence to perform these procedures effectively.
“I've been fortunate to place epidurals and spinals on my rotation, and I felt very confident in finding the proper spaces thanks to my training,” she said. “I’m grateful to have had trusting attendings and patients who allowed me to learn and perform these procedures as a medical student.”
Reflecting on her time at SHSU-COM, Mousa shared that the people she’s met have defined her experience.
“Being in a new class meant we really relied on each other. The faculty and staff were always there to help, whether answering questions a day or two before a test or sitting down in a study room with me for an hour or so to explain something I was struggling with,” she said.
From her birth to the medical school classroom, Mousa’s journey highlights the lasting relationships and unexpected connections fostered through healthcare. The unique blend of her personal experience with Taylor and the rigorous, hands-on training of her osteopathic education has prepared her to leave a similar mark on her future patients.
As Mousa looks ahead to her graduation in May, the connection with Taylor makes the milestone even more meaningful.
“Taylor is coming, and my family will all be there, including my siblings. So, it’ll be really exciting,” Mousa said.
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