Class of 2018
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Physiology and Neurobiology
Studying at Central Michigan University in the MD Program
Q: Why did you choose to pursue a career in healthcare?
Healthcare was always something I have been interested in. I always wanted to become a doctor to be able to not only help people, but make a difference in individual's lives.
Q: What were some challenges you have faced along your healthcare journey so far, and how have you overcome them?
I faced a lot of different challenges in my pursuit of medical school. As an undergrad, there were a lot of times where I became lost and distracted, which caused my grades to suffer. However, it was my faith in myself and knowing that I truly wanted to become a physician that kept me going. My advice to any student that finds themself in a difficult situation is to keep going, stay motivated, learn from your mistakes, and follow through.
Q: What did you do during your growth year(s) and what did you learn?
I took three gap years after graduating from UConn. At this point, because of all the struggles I had faced, I was unsure about my future. Consequently, during my first year, I became an EMT, began shadowing, and doing research so as to further immerse myself in medicine and see if this was truly what I wanted. That year really gave me a push and helped me to find myself and move in the right direction. My second year, I went and completed a special masters program, to build up my academics. Finally during my application year, I worked at The Jackson Laboratory as a Clinical Genomic Technologist, where I conducted PCR testing on patient CoVid samples. These experiences and my time off absolutely taught me a lot and gave me a new insight into how I learned, as well as that medicine was truly the best path for me to pursue.