September 2018

New city. New faces. New academic challenges. As excited as I was to have finished my undergrad at Pomona College in small, suburban Claremont, CA and continue my journey to becoming a doctor, I was just as terrified to be moving to New Orleans where I would no longer be surrounded by friends and family to help me adjust to the new lifestyle. Tulane's Masters in Pharmacology would be an immeasurable challenge, but it is the perfect introduction to the material I would begin to learn in medical school. What stood out to me that was different than anything else I had been advised so far was that my dream of being a doctor was very much within grasp. Hearing doctors and professors show me a path to medical school was still possible even with a sub-par GPA filled me with a sense of hope and motivation to dive into the program head first. As we opened the Inflammation block with signal transduction, cytochrome P450 mechanisms, and other basic principle topics that had caused me so much distress to study in undergrad, the way professors were presenting the material to me in a more applied manner made the material seem much more clear and, more importantly, exciting! I used to dread questions about biology and biochemistry, but I now have a greater appreciation for this material because professors like Dr. Lindsay, Dr. Mondal, and Dr. Clarkson have showed me how important and vital they are to make any diagnosis for patients. Medical Pharmacology has been a dream of a class so far. We have learned about treatments for gout, arthritis, HIV, and other very important diseases that are commonly seen in the medical field. By presenting the information in the form of case studies, I feel motivated to learn about each topic to treat the patients as if they are my own. I hope that as the program progresses they continue to present the material in this manner, so that we can get a better glimpse into the life of a doctor. 

Along with the success of this teaching style and a rekindling of my dream, I am also excited to start working with KiPP foundation. I have had the privilege of always believing that college and degrees beyond a bachelor's degree were within my grasp because of the opportunities and life lessons my parents gave me. However, it is important to remember that not all children have this type of guidance. KiPP helps show these kids the beauty of higher education and prepares them for college and any career-path they choose for themselves. Just as Tulane has given me hope for my dreams, KiPP gives kids in under-resourced areas a chance to pursue their own dreams. As a firm believer in no one gets left behind, I cannot wait to get started with this foundation and hopefully serve as a guiding light for the kids in need of help.

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