Tell us a little about yourself. I grew up in Southern California but have been on the East Coast for the last six years. I graduated from Amherst College in 2016, and I spent two years before medical school working as a post-baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award fellow at the National Institutes of Health. I managed chronic pain clinical trials, and I especially loved working with women with chronic pain, validating their experience, and facilitating meaningful care. It was rewarding, especially in times like these, to be working on non-addictive strategies for chronic pain management. This fall, I started medical school here at UNMC.
Why UNMC? I spent the summer of 2015 working with infectious disease doctors Mark Rupp, Angela Hewlett, and Trevor VanSchooneveld, and it was that summer that clarified my desire to pursue a career in medicine. It was the first time I saw people doing exactly what I wanted to do: provide patient care and lead clinical research teams. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to pursue my calling in the place where I found it.
So does this mean you’re going to go into ID? I’m not sure! The infectious disease department has certainly been a home for me, but I’m trying my best to keep an open mind. I am very lucky to have many physician mentors who love their specialties and encourage students to follow their paths. However, I think it’s one thing to observe others and another to provide care myself. I am excited for next spring when I start my clinical rotations to get a better sense of what I am good at and enjoy.
Tell us something about yourself that isn’t related to medicine. I’ve been playing French horn for 10 years, and serendipitously UNMC started the Nebraska Medical Orchestra this year! Playing music has always been my preferred way to relieve stress, and I enjoy meeting new people I wouldn’t otherwise encounter in my daily routine.
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