Sujith Maracheril said last week he is proud to be named the valedictorian of Mineola High School, but he knows that there are more important things in life after spending last summer watching his uncle, Dr. Balaji Zacharia, an orthopedic surgeon in Calicut, India,
“To me, it was a mind-boggling experience,” Maracheril said. “There were just so many people, and it was amazing to see how much of an impact a doctor can have on so many lives.”
Maracheril said watching his uncle treat patients lying on mattresses in the hallways of an overcrowded hospital confirmed a decision he had already made to become a doctor. His resolve to help people was strengthened as he watched his grandmother, with whom he shared a particularly close bond, die from complications related to Alzheimer’s Disease last year.
“That made me want to pursue medicine even more and help cure people. I just want to be able to help people I guess,” he said.
This year, Maracheri has been observing two local doctors – Dr. Thomas Mathew at Hillside Internal & Geriatrics in New Hyde Park and Dr. Varoughese Chacko, who practices at the Medical and Science Building, also in New Hyde Park. “Both the doctors really know their patients. They know a lot about their patients and their patients families,” Maracheril said.
Maracheril isn’t sure what kind of medical practice he wants to pursue. But in the fall, he’ll be starting a seven-year program to earn a medical degree at the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, part of the City College of New York.
Maracheri commitment to service was also expressed through his participation in the Mineola High School Student Service Center. He has joined with schoolmates since his freshman year in cooking dinner for families at the Ronald McDonald House, visiting the elderly at local nursing homes and doing peer tutoring in mathematics and science.
In his junior year, he did a research project about the problem of hunger in different periods of American history. They presented their research to eighth graders to raise their awareness about the issue. And they organized what has become an annual pasta/macaroni dinner to raise money for the Interfaith Nutritional Network.
He has also been active in raising money for charities with the youth group of St. Peter’s and Paul’s Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church in Massapequa, where he is a member.
His brother, Renjith, is also preparing for medical school in a pre-med program at St. Bonaventure University.
Maracheril said his brother encouraged him to get involved with the student service center and also motivated him to aim for valedictorian of his graduating class. His brother graduated third in his class at Mineola High School in 2011, and three cousins had also excelled in their studies at Mineola.
“As the last one in the family going to Mineola, I kind of wanted to end it strong. They set the bar really highly, so I wanted to match up with them,” Maracheril said, adding that in his brother’s case, “It’s good to hold that over his head sometimes.”
Maracheril finished with a 99.85 average and was a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, a member of the National Honor Society and a Rensselaer Medalist as a junior for his achievements in math and science. He was also president of the high school’s Science National Honor Society in his junior year.
The science club was his favorite activity among the organizations he joined, which included Mathletes, Literary Society, the environmental club and Brainstormers. He was also captain of Mineola’s Challenge Team for the MSG Varsity academic quiz show.
He said the science club advisor, physics teacher Harold McLaughlin, took an amusing approach to different subjects, like slinging water balloons to demonstrate projectile motion.
“That was just a really fun club. He kind of taught us physics doing fun things,” Maracheril said.
The aspiring doctor was also an athlete, playing on the junior varsity team in his sophomore year and following his brother’s lead to compete on the track team as a triple jumper, long jumper and high jumper in his freshman and sophomore years.
He also played the violin in the Mineola High School Chamber Ensemble for four years.
“I’m not as good as other people in orchestra, but I enjoy playing it. It’s a great outlet,” he said.
Maracheril said playing the violin has already increased his appreciation for music in general.
“I listen to it all the time. Listening to music is very relaxing. I do it with everything I do,” he said.
