Fusing Science and Humanistic Thinking
Kyra McComas '16, History and Biochemistry double major, is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Utah School of Medicine who has a passion for historical literature and writing in addition to her zeal for medicine, humanism, and patient care. She is currently applying to residency programs in radiation oncology, a field with which she has fallen in love since there are countless opportunities for holistic and genuine patient care. Her experiences studying history and biochemistry as an undergraduate at Santa Clara University have inspired her to creatively fuse science and humanistic thinking in caring for unique and challenging cancer patients. She is fascinated by how past experiences, both personal and global, have shaped and influenced her patients' lives, and further, how that may translate to the healing process. She is eager to continue historical research and writing throughout her career (and is actually a current freelance writer), especially given the various perspectives provided by her patients. In her spare time as a medical student, she has managed to write a fascinating online article on the history of pain, “Pushing Back Into Chaos,” Hektoen International: A Journal of Medical Humanities (Spring 2019). When Kyra has a day off, she can also be found venturing into the mountains, either hiking, snowshoeing, or skiing with her dogs.