1. Why did you choose SCU?
Attending Santa Clara University was one of the best decisions I have made, and I would not hesitate to make it again if given the opportunity.
One important deciding factor for me choosing Santa Clara University was the incredible Bioengineering Department, pre-medical advising, and extracurricular opportunities for research and internships in my areas of interest.
For those such as myself who are interested in becoming a doctor, the Bioengineering major has a special curriculum for pre-med students, which allows us to take all the classes necessary for applying to medical school and to be prepared to take the medical college admissions test (MCAT).
Aside from the classes and coursework, I had such a great feel the moment I stepped on campus. Everyone on campus, and particularly in the Bioengineering Department, was so welcoming on my tour day. They made the extra effort on my behalf to schedule meetings with the Department Chair and the Pre-Med advisor to go over what my four years at Santa Clara University would look like. The amount of effort SCU puts into its students and their futures sealed the deal for me, and I am so glad I decided to attend.
2. What was your experience like at SCU?
Within the first quarter at SCU, I met some of my closest friends in my introductory science classes whom I keep in touch with today; in fact, I recently recorded a podcast with a friend and fellow medical student this past month about our Pre-Med journeys.
I was able to balance my coursework and undertake a number of extracurricular activities such as Bioengineering research, working as a First Responder & Emergency Medical Technician for the campus, playing on the Club Lacrosse Team and in the Jazz Band, and Healthcare Ethics Internship experiences.
Something I most fondly remember was getting the opportunity to work one-on-one with my Professor on Bioengineering research; I marveled at the ways I was able to apply what I was learning in my classes to the quantitative materials research I was doing in the laboratory. The lessons I learned on research projects gave me great preparation in my future internships during Medical School.
3. What did your SCU experience enable you to do in your future?
My Santa Clara University experience put me in a great position to succeed in applying to and performing in Medical School. I applied during my junior year at SCU and was accepted to my top choice at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Once in medical school, I felt my Bioengineering background gave me a unique edge and insight into what I was learning in my classes and in the hospital.
It also opened doors to research projects and opportunities I might not have otherwise had access to. One thing I did not appreciate until later was the Alumni Network that Santa Clara University has to offer. For instance, at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, Medical Students were taken off of Hospital rotations both for our safety and to conserve limited Personal Protective Equipment resources.
As the first cases of COVID-19 showed up just 10 miles outside of my home in Seattle, I did not want to sit on the sidelines as all of this unfolded right in front of my eyes. I connected with a Santa Clara University alumnus at the University of Washington Medicine system who works directly with the sickest COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit. Together, Dr. Nick Johnson and I undertook several research projects on COVID-19 patients, with one being accepted for publication just last month. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/emp2.12350
I cannot speak highly enough of my experience at Santa Clara University. The lessons I learned, the experiences I had, and the people I had the privilege to meet at SCU have all helped me to become not only the type of doctor I want to be someday, but also the type of person I want to be as well.
I am currently in my final year of medical school and am applying to do my residency training in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. When I think back on my experiences leading up to this point, I know I would not be where I am today were it not for the phenomenal undergraduate education I had at Santa Clara University.