Where are you from and where did you go to undergrad?
I am from Springfield, Missouri. We’re famous for cashew chicken, Chappell Roan, Bass Pro Shops, and Route 66. I went to Washington University in St. Louis for my Bachelor’s in Biology and Anthropology, and my Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. At Pitt, I’ll be pursuing my MD and PhD in Epidemiology, with the goal of becoming a physician scientist.
What experiences have inspired you to become a doctor?
Numerous people in my family and community have become sick and even passed away as a result of a lack of access to medical care. I was a curious kid who always asked questions and loved STEM, and as I grew older I found that I could use those skills to make a difference by treating and preventing health issues affecting communities, who like mine, have historically been divested in. As a physician scientist I will be able to use my clinical perspective and my patients’ perspectives to shape my research interests and approaches to further our knowledge of health inequities and interventions that intend to ameliorate them.
What areas of medicine are you interested in?
I’m very open minded, but so far I am drawn to psychiatry, internal medicine, and emergency medicine. I’m a problem solver at heart and am passionate about working with vulnerable populations. I see myself fulfilled in both of those ways in these specialties.
What are you most looking forward to in this next chapter?
Besides beginning my physician scientist training after a decade of knowing I wanted to pursue a career in medicine, I’m genuinely excited to explore my new home in Pittsburgh. I love food and getting out and about, and in the short month I’ve been here I’ve already found a lot I love about this city!