Background

Hometown: Pleasant Ridge, Michigan
Undergraduate: Kalamazoo College, BA in Biology, minor in Mathematics
Graduate: Drexel University College of Medicine, MS in Medical Science
Accepted Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine 2021

Q&A

Can you tell me a little about yourself and what brought you to Drexel?

I was born and raised in Michigan in a family of four. During high school, I enjoyed playing soccer, swimming competitively, and doing strange things with my friends. I completed undergrad at Kalamazoo College, a small liberal arts college, where I swam all four years. Afterwards, I worked as an ER medical scribe for a year before moving to Philadelphia for school. I found myself at Drexel after looking for something to make me a more competitive applicant for medical school, and I applied to the Master of Science in Medical Science program upon the recommendation of an undergraduate advisor.

Why did you choose the Medical Science program?

I liked the Medical Science program because it not only allowed me to take a large amount of the first year med school curriculum, but it also allowed me to work with the same professors who teach the actual medical students. Additionally, the second year brought more insight into the medical school curriculum with a Pathology course, and also had an immersive research experience that allowed me to explore subjects pertinent to medicine and the graduate classes I had taken the year before. I didn't know of any program like it.

What was your relationship with the faculty like?

I had a great relationship with the faculty here. Throughout my two years everybody was very helpful and kind, and offered great advice on how to achieve my goals, often working with me to come up with a plan. I would not be where I am today if not for the graduate school faculty.

What was your relationship like with other students in the program?

I found everybody in this program to be very friendly. It was nice being with other students in a similar position, all working towards the same goal of attending some type of professional health school. We had a very open environment that was sometimes relaxed, depending on how far away the next exam was. Additionally, I found a nice group of friends in this program that I could study with and hang out with outside of the classroom, many of whom I am still in regular contact with.

What did you like most about the curriculum?

I liked that the courses were bona fide medical school courses. You couldn't get any closer to the real thing. As a current first year medical student, I can say there is no better preparation. I have seen a majority of the material that we are covering now, which is awesome for its own sake, but it also allows me to be less stressed and devote time to extracurricular activities.

Can you tell me a little bit about your research project?

I conducted research that investigated the relationship between chronic hepatitis B virus infection and the development of primary liver cancer. More specifically, we looked at how the autophagy pathway lead to primary liver cancer. To do this, I worked at the bench using cultured cell lines that I would expose to different environments and assay a specific enzyme within the autophagy cascade.

Do you know what area of medicine you might go into?

Because of my history as an ER scribe, I am currently leaning towards ER medicine. However, I have plenty of time to make a decision, and I am keeping my mind open for the time being.

What advice would you give to someone who's considering the Medical Science program?

If you're already considering it, you should probably just do it.