When approached about the concept of hope and what lays ahead, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt famously stated in her letters that “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Her sentiment still rings true for many people today, especially for Joshua Leaston, S’20.
A native Bostonian, Leaston grew up in an environment where “police sirens became the norm.” By moving between different neighborhoods with his mother, a cashier at Massachusetts General Hospital, and his father, who struggled with substance abuse issues and schizophrenia, he learned to embrace his aspirations.
Leaston was never deterred from his dreams—like many boys, his goal was to become a professional athlete. In his case, that meant making it to the NBA. Every morning at five o’clock, Leaston would lace up and hit the hardwood to perfect his game. Self-admittedly, his hooping dreams didn’t pan out the way he had anticipated, but the discipline he developed became ingrained in him.
Finding solace in academics, Leaston wanted to attend an undergraduate institution that would reciprocate those needs while providing him with the resources to make his mark on the world. “I was looking for a place that would give me a multifaceted, multi-dynamic experience,” he recalls about his application process. “When I came across Northeastern and the co-op program, I was truly excited about the concept.”
His self-discipline was put to the test during his time at Northeastern—not only did he major in behavioral neuroscience while minoring in health science on the pre-med track, he also participated in two co-ops. “I spent my co-ops doing neuroimaging-based work,” says Leaston. “It built up my foundation in research and my comprehension of what ‘research’ actually is.” With a framework in neuroimaging laid, Leaston was then offered a full-time role from his second co-op employer, Imaginostics.
While working at Imaginostics, Leaston’s dream of attending medical school never wavered. The expectations of the co-op program, interdisciplinary balance, and seemingly-never ending hours of studying paid off as he was accepted to the prestigious Stanford University School of Medicine a year after graduation.
“In medical school, you usually get one or two years of coursework and then the remaining years are all clinical,” he recounts. “You deal with real patients, and the judgement you’re making impacts actual clinical care.”
As daunting as the prospect of medical school can be, Leaston credits his Northeastern experience with providing him the tools to propel himself to the top of his class and elevate his learning potential. “I would say that having that professional exposure through my co-ops prepared me for the clinical environment,” he says.
Prior to graduating from medical school, each aspiring doctor will participate in the National Residency Matching Program—a process that determines which hospital graduates will continue their training at. Through the ranked-preference system, Leaston was able to secure his number one choice, Massachusetts General Hospital—the very same place that has employed his mother for the last three decades.
“This deeply touched my heart,” he beams. “I had dreamt of matching at Mass General for as long as I can remember because it’s deeply tied to my community and my family. Not only did I have the opportunity to match and work at a hospital like Mass General, but being there alongside my mom is an experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world.”
It’s no surprise that Leaston is the embodiment of the Northeastern spirit: His devotion to his family, the surrounding community, and medical innovation encapsulates what it means to be a Husky. But most importantly, he will continue pushing the boundaries of his curiosity and never retire from his identity as a dreamer. “I am going to keep following my dreams the same way that I did when I was child,” he says. “I’m going to follow them with the same flair, the same openness, the same ability to explore all avenues, and the same passion.”