After graduating in 2017 with a degree in Molecular Biology, I worked for one year and spent another backpacking around the globe to continue growing the sense of global citizenship I learned at Austin College. Now, I am a first year medical student (MS1), Dorman Scholar, and member of the inaugural class at the TCU & UNTHSC School of Medicine in Fort Worth, Texas. This program aims to mold Empathetic Scholars and redefine medical education to create physicians better prepared for the future of medicine through patient-centered training and innovation.
My medical education feels like a natural extension of the holistic, collaborative, and globally conscious education I received at Austin College.
With the STAR leadership program integrated into my pre-medical curriculum, I learned more than just scientific literacy — I learned how to communicate complex topics to people of all backgrounds, I learned how to be a supportive team member, and I learned how to manage interpersonal relationships in a professional setting while reflecting on my own actions.
As a Global Outreach Fellow, I spent my Sophomore year summer in Peru working with a non-profit organization to bring HIV screenings to rural communities. Today, as a medical student, I am learning about the molecular mechanism of this disease and serving my local community as a volunteer at an HIV/AIDS clinic. My scholarly pursuits have been deeply enriched by the experiential knowledge I gained as GO Fellow.
Finally, my honors thesis research taught me to stretch my mind and solve the unsolvable. Working in Dr. Lance Barton’s lab gave me the confidence to innovate which has served me well as a medical student at the unique TCU & UNTHSC School of Medicine.
Healthcare is built on teamwork and innovation — my undergraduate education at Austin College set the groundwork for me to become the great physician-leader I aspire to be.