Meet Harrison Greene, a new M1 student in our HIV Enhanced Medical Education Track!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated from Creighton Prep High School. I completed my undergraduate education at the University of Kansas, with a degree in Human Biology. During my last year at KU, I decided that I wanted to take a leap and try pursuing a different passion following graduation. This led me back to Omaha, where I enrolled in the culinary arts program at Metropolitan Community College. While taking classes at Metro, I began working in kitchens and eventually earned a spot on the line at The Grey Plume. Working in the hot, fast-paced environment of a James Beard nominated kitchen was a dream come true, and an experience I’ll never forget. However, after four years in the kitchen, I was drawn back to the pursuit of medicine, left the kitchen, and obtained a Master’s Certificate in Biomedical Science from UNO. My untraditional path allowed me many great experiences, and I am thankful that it led me to UNMC.
Why did you decide to come to medical school at UNMC?
I decided to pursue my medical education at UNMC due to the excellence of the academic program, the renowned care provided at Nebraska Medicine, and my desire to live in Omaha during medical school. Furthermore, my father and grandfather are both graduates of UNMC, and having the opportunity to receive my education at the program that prepared them to be skilled care providers was significant to me.
Could you tell us more about HIV EMET program? What drew you to it?
The Comprehensive HIV Medicine EMET program is a four-year longitudinal experience that provides students the opportunity to advance their education in the care of patients living with HIV while also fostering relationships with faculty, residents, and other students throughout the program. This program is an invaluable asset to the student, as it allows extra-classroom learning experiences both in and outside of the clinical setting. Initially, I was interested in studying HIV because I was intrigued by the notion of it being a relatively new discovery in the history of medicine. As I learned more about HIV and those affected by it, through my classes and while shadowing at the UNMC HIV clinic, I became interested in the experience of the patients faced with the multifaceted nature of the disease. Care for patients infected with HIV requires a broad base of knowledge of immunology, care for opportunistic infections and other diseases, as well as an understanding of behavioral sciences and socioeconomic determinants of health. I am excited to be a part of the Comprehensive HIV Medicine EMET program, as it will help me to become a more well-rounded care provider and an activate participant in the fight against HIV.
What is something you enjoy outside of medicine?
Outside of school, I enjoy cooking, going to restaurant and bar pop-ups, seeing movies at Film Streams, and traveling. One of my favorite parts of traveling is experiencing the food scene in different cities.
We wish Harrison the best of luck over the next several years during his journey with us as part of the HIV EMET! More information about the EMET program can be found here.