Year 2
Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
My second year at the University of Florida was full of exciting experiences and growth opportunities!
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In the fall, I was enrolled in various courses to determine which disciplines I was most passionate about pursuing. While I remained on the pre-medical track, I allowed myself to explore the world of math and science education. While I gained valuable skills from teaching and loved forming connections with elementary school students, I was able to conclude that I would like to continue to pursue academic medicine.
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During this academic school year, I continued taking pre-medical courses such as the organic chemistry sequence and beginning the physics sequence. While I dedicated countless hours working to understand the content in these courses, I was grateful for my classics courses that stimulated a different part of my brain. I learned various new concepts this school year, such as the ancient world of sport, organic chemistry mechanisms, the history of classical Greece, and Newton's Laws of Thermodynamics. ​​
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I also began my breast cancer research under Dr. Lisa Spiguel through the UF Health Cancer Center's University Scholars Program. I gained knowledge about the field of surgical breast oncology through clinical hours as well as shadowing in the OR. By the end of the school year, I had finished collecting data for a 3-year retrospective breast cancer genetics study. I presented my findings at the UF Cancer Showcase and the UF Department of Surgery Research Day. I am extremely grateful for the relationship I have established with my mentor, and I look forward to completing several more projects under Dr. Spiguel for the next two years of my undergraduate career.
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In my extracurriculars, I proudly served as the Recruitment Coordinator for Passionate Musicians On Call this past year. We had a very successful year and I had the opportunity to get to know members, both old and new, much better. I was honored to be elected as the next Vice President for PMOC, and look forward to dedicating more time to this amazing club. I also became more involved in Special Olympics by joining a soccer team this Spring. Playing with the Special Olympic athletes always made my week and I hope they enjoyed being on my team as much as I enjoyed playing with them. I also joined Anthem Church this past year and got plugged into a college lifegroup where I made so many new friends. I also decided to serve as an 8th grade girls leader in their middle school service which the highlight of my Sunday. I look forward to remaining a part of my college lifegroup and continuing to serve as the lifegroup leader for this special group of girls as they move on to high school.
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Lastly, I did have the most incredible experience attending the Final Four and National Championship as a student in San Antionio, Texas. I felt so proud to be a Gator while watching the men's basketball team win the national title and this trip will be a lifelong memory I will hold onto forever. GO GATORS!!!!
Year 1
Fall 2023 - Spring 2024
My first year at the University of Florida was amazing! I have met many incredible people and have had wonderful experiences as a Gator.
In the fall, I began my undergraduate studies as a Business Administration Major on the Pre-Med track. I was able to meet people and take classes relating to both business and medicine to determine which field of study best suited me. Throughout my first semester, I began to realize how much more I enjoyed my courses relating to medicine. My favorite class turned out to be General Chemistry 1, which led me to become a Biochemistry Major. Along with navigating my decision of business versus medicine during the fall, I was also enrolled in a Research and Creativity course for the University Research Scholars Program (URSP). I gained valuable insight into skills needed for future research, including an end-of-year research symposium for poster presentations. I was able to select my top choice for a CURE class in the spring semester through URSP and I was selected to be on the URSP Student Advisory Board Mentorship Committee. I also joined a UF organization called Passionate Musicians On Call (PMOC) and enjoyed using music to serve individuals in the nursing home communities here in Gainesville.
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The spring was full of amazing opportunities and experiences! I was able to be a General Chemistry 1 undergraduate teaching assistant for my favorite professor, and loved helping other students learn to both enjoy and succeed in the course. For my classes, I continued working towards completing the pre-med prerequisites, as well as my minor in Classical Studies. I began my Biomedical Engineering CURE class in the Murfee lab studying Cell Dynamics during Microvascular Growth. My research partner and I spent three hours each week dedicated to learning about stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and how it affects lymphatic structures in mouse mesentery tissue. Both Dr. Murfee and his graduate student Frankie made this such an incredible learning experience and helped me gain research skills such as taking images with a microscope, writing an abstract, data collection, and presenting findings at a research symposium. In Passionate Musicians On Call, I began an acapella group with several other members, which the nursing home residents loved. I was also selected to be the upcoming PMOC Recruitment Coordinator for my second year, and I am extremely excited to begin my term.
Moving forward, I am excited to begin a new research opportunity starting this summer. I was accepted in the University of Florida Health Cancer Center's University Scholars Program for my sophomore year, specializing in Cancer Control and Population Sciences. I was fortunate enough to hear back from Dr. Lisa Spiguel, the Section Chief of Breast surgery, who will be serving as my research mentor. I am eager to begin working with her and to learn more about breast cancer prevention and intervention.
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