International Relations major

I began Eckerd College with the intent of pursuing my interest in politics and medicine in the form of a double major. However, the allure of studying politics, particularly amidst such a interesting time, drew me towards a concentration in International Relations, and away from the sciences. While I ultimately received my bachelors degree only in International Relations, I found community service to be a great outlet for continuing to explore my interest in medicine.

In the summer of 2004, I traveled to Thailand with a small group of students led by Brian Macharg to teach English in Mae Ra Ma Luang refugee camp on the Thai/Burmese border. As a result of a collaboration with the Zakat Foundation, a nonprofit group based in Chicago that had medical ties to the health sector, I was able to deliver basic medical supplies and medications to the camp.

In my senior year at Eckerd College, I participated in a Spring Break service trip that brought me to a health clinic in the Yucatan. Despite language barriers and cultural differences, I was able to conduct health surveys, participate in a vaccination program, and even draw blood for HIV testing.

I recently completed a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program at Harvard University, and I am working at MIT Division of Comparative Medicine, in Histology and Research. I volunteer at Brigham and Women's Hospital as a part of their inpatient/outpatient program. I will be applying to medical schools in the fall of 2010, specifically for the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) program. I am excited to join the collaboration of medicine and biotechnology to solve world health problems, and ultimately to become a member of Doctors Without Borders.