“The network of alumni from ³ûÄñÊÓƵ shaped my desire to pursue my master’s degree.â€
Hometown:
Lewisville, TX
Undergraduate degree:
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology from University of Texas at Dallas
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Biomedical Sciences from ³ûÄñÊÓƵ, Downers Grove Campus
What inspired you to pursue a healthcare career?
There are a series of experiences that inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. From a very young age, my parents encouraged me to volunteer in my community whether it was through being a Girl Scout or a camp counselor. I found immense gratification in serving. I also found myself intrigued by my STEM classes as early as a frog dissection in 7th grade. Having served as a tutor and mentor in various capacities, I also found my love for teaching others. When deciding what career to pursue, I knew it had to integrate my passions for active learning, teaching, and serving my community. Upon exploring my career options, it was evident that becoming a physician would allow me to integrate my interests and find the most gratification in my day-to-day life.
How did your background and history factor into your career choice?
I am a first-generation college student, and I am the first in my extended and immediate family to pursue a career in medicine. There were many instances where I contemplated pursuing a career that was like theirs, since their network in fields such as accounting and marketing seemed to be larger. However, I knew it would be a disservice to myself and the future generations of my family if I didn’t pave the road for the generations to come. This was further validated when my five-year-old nephew dressed up as a doctor for career day at school and asked for a microscope for Christmas last year. I realized that if he decides to pursue a career in STEM, I can serve as a resource for him. Simultaneously, I have opened an array of opportunities for my family.
Why did you decide to attend ³ûÄñÊÓƵ?
The network of alumni from ³ûÄñÊÓƵ shaped my desire to pursue my master’s degree here, but as a student of the institution, I truly recognize why their network is so large. The support from faculty and staff has been unmatched. They truly want their students to succeed. Everyone, from the professors to the barista on campus, served as a source of support to the students. During my time at OrthoTexas, I worked alongside Dr. Kouyoumjian who is an alumnus of the Downers Grove Campus, and my own primary care PA-C is an alumnus of the Glendale Campus. The network of alumni, just five miles from my hometown of Lewisville, TX showcased ³ûÄñÊÓƵ’s impact on the field of healthcare. Seeing their impact on their patients’ lives, I knew I wanted the medical education they received. After completing my master’s degree on the Downers Grove Campus, it was a no-brainer to continue my medical education at ³ûÄñÊÓƵ.
What about a ³ûÄñÊÓƵ education do you want to carry forward in your career?
³ûÄñÊÓƵ incorporates many aspects into our medical education to set us up to be healthcare leaders in our community. I am particularly fond of the emphasis on interprofessional development. Caring for a patient is a team effort, and often patients have an array of medical conditions that can seem both overwhelming and out of my scope of knowledge. However, I recognize that there are many different healthcare professionals to help support the patient. Through our interprofessional healthcare course, we work with students in all the other programs to discuss their scope of practice and their field of expertise. As a practicing physician, I hope to continue to recognize and utilize the healthcare team of a patient for optimal patient outcomes.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Research on campus is an incredible opportunity for professional development. ³ûÄñÊÓƵ’s emphasis is on creating future healthcare leaders, and they accomplish this by providing students in all programs and various levels of experiences and opportunities for further advancements in their fields. I joined a lab at the Downers Grove Campus simply to stay up to date on the literature and learn about their labs. Within a few weeks, I had my own project underway. It was the first time I got to take full ownership of a project and see it carried out from beginning to end. The experience allowed me to integrate my academic coursework with its’ real-life applicability.
