Episode 4: Barbados Life Continues- Finding Community Outside of Ross University
Release Date: 04/09/2025
Episode 7 – From Setbacks to Success: Isaac's Journey to Med School
Inalienable Rites
In this heartfelt episode of Inalienable Rights, Justin and Alyssa sit down with their first-ever guest: Isaac Rodriguez. Isaac shares the real, raw story of how he went from struggling academically and spiritually in undergrad to ultimately earning a spot at Ross University School of Medicine. Born and raised in Southern California, Isaac opens up about his upbringing in a Christian household, the pressures of pursuing medicine without a traditional support system, and how a pivotal job in a research lab reignited his passion and gave him the confidence to try again. From MCAT woes and...
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Episode 6: Embracing Change: Trusting the Process When Plans Fall Apart
Inalienable Rites
This week on Inalienable Rights, Justin and Alyssa get real about what it's like to navigate major life transitions while juggling faith, family, and the chaos of med school. Recorded on Easter Sunday (after several failed takes thanks to kids, pets, and tech issues), this episode is raw, honest, and deeply relatable. They share the emotional highs and lows of saying goodbye to their island life in Barbados, how an unexpected change in clinical placements is forcing a pivot in their plans, and the big leap Alyssa is taking toward her dream of becoming a midwife. From dream-chasing...
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Episode 5: Marriage, Maggots & Morning Coffee
Inalienable Rites
In this special episode of Inalienable Rights, Justin and Alyssa take a detour from medicine to dive into their love story, marriage advice, and a little bit of hilarity. From homeschooling in Barbados to ironing underwear in Africa, they share how their paths crossed, how they fell in love (spoiler: it involves Blackberry Messenger), and what they’ve learned over 12 years of marriage. Tune in for personal stories, practical tips, and a reminder that sometimes, all it takes is a morning cup of coffee to keep the love strong.
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Episode 4: Barbados Life Continues- Finding Community Outside of Ross University
Inalienable Rites
In this episode of Inalienable Rites, hosts Justin and Alyssa Steward continue sharing their journey as a family navigating life, faith, and medicine across different countries. They pick up from their last episode, detailing their move to Barbados, their experiences settling in, and how they built a life beyond just surviving medical school. Throughout the episode, Justin and Alyssa reflect on the highs and challenges of their journey, emphasizing the importance of faith, community, and adaptability. They also discuss the upcoming uncertainties in their medical journey and how they are...
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Episode 3: Welcome to Barbados! The Continuing Saga.
Inalienable Rites
This episode of Inalienable Rites follows Justin and Alyssa as they recount their challenging transition to living in Barbados for Justin's medical school journey. Justin describes arriving in Barbados alone, dealing with the intense heat and humidity, and struggling with a sprained ankle while exploring the island. A significant portion of the episode focuses on an emotional and stressful experience involving their cat, Fluffy. The episode serves as a mix of personal challenges, emotional hardships, and the unexpected kindness that helped them navigate their new life in Barbados.
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Episode 2: How We Ended Up in Barbados for Medical School
Inalienable Rites
In this episode, Justin and Alyssa dive into the reasons behind their decision to attend Ross University, explaining the thought process and factors that led them there. They also discuss how their faith played a significant role in guiding their choices. Alyssa opens up about her initial reservations and the challenges they had to overcome in order to leave the United States.
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Introducing the Inalienable Rites Podcast
Inalienable Rites
Who are we? What is the Inalienable Rites podcast? Why should I listen? We try to answer these questions in our brief trailer episode highlighting what you can expect from our podcast.
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Episode 1: Why Barbados?
Inalienable Rites
Part 1 of our story of how we ended up choosing to live in Barbados for medical school. We share our own personal stories of our struggles and successes on the journey to becoming a student at Ross University.
info_outlineIn this episode of Inalienable Rites, hosts Justin and Alyssa Steward continue sharing their journey as a family navigating life, faith, and medicine across different countries. They pick up from their last episode, detailing their move to Barbados, their experiences settling in, and how they built a life beyond just surviving medical school. Throughout the episode, Justin and Alyssa reflect on the highs and challenges of their journey, emphasizing the importance of faith, community, and adaptability. They also discuss the upcoming uncertainties in their medical journey and how they are trusting the process despite the challenges.