I want people to know when I'm taking care of them I'll give it all that I've got.
— Debi Thomas
But I like it when my patients are impressed not knowing that I was an Olympian.
My mother introduced me to many different things, and figure skating was one of them. I just thought that it was magical having to glide across the ice.
The Olympics: not one of my better memories.
Probably the '86 nationals. That was my first real national title and first real statement I ever made in figure skating, and my life changed after I returned.
I watch a lot of professional skating, and I am really looking forward to going to nationals.
I begged my mom to let me start skating.
I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true.
Just because you didn't start out perfect doesn't mean you can't have an excellent result in the end.
Being an Olympian, I always have this strong belief in excellence.
I got a bronze medal and I can't complain about that, the only African-American to get a medal in the Winter Olympics.
So I went for engineering, specifically product design, which I enjoyed.
My skating is a very emotional thing that comes from the heart, never doing it for the medal.
I was always very strong in math, physics and calculus.
I am not really sure how I got interested in medicine.
I wanted to be a doctor since I was five.
I've got this thing with skating and school - to see how much I can accomplish.
What was most important to me at the Olympics was going out there and performing my best. When I messed up the first jump combination, which was my big move, it hit me that I messed up the program of my life.
Right now I am doing my residency in orthopedic research.
I would make my mom buy me the toy doctor kit.
I just thought that it was magical having to glide across the ice.
For as long as I can really remember, I wanted to be a doctor.
