I'm a medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. I grew up in the small Amish town of Montgomery, Indiana, and earned my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 2022. After working in the industry for a while, I realized that while I loved the technicality of biomedical engineering, I felt disconnected from patients affected by my research. I primarily found that my passion was in medical research and human physiology, so I elected to pursue a medical degree. I have no doubt that my education in engineering will affect my approach to patients and medical research and give me a unique insight into the tools and treatments we use as physicians. I hope to continue my research and expant to work on novel therapeutics and clincial trials as an academic physician.

The engineering approach to problem-solving is likely one of the most critical skill I've gained as a professional in industry and medicine. White this is a simple answer, the power in being able to analytically and logically appraoch any problem is by far the most important skill you'll gain at Purdue, and will set you apart for the rest of your life. We also worked in teams in nearly every class I took within Purdue BME, so I left with an extreme sense of my role in a group setting and how to utilize my talents in conjunction with others'.

I learned in high school to always approach guest speakers and introduce yourself when they come into your lcass. I've found that this has opened a lot of initial doors for me: my frist research position, my first internship, and my first publication all came from putting myself out there and asking someone directly for a chance or opportunity. It's a vulnerable thing to do, and you'll likely get turned down a time or two while you're still gaining experience, but it's worth it in the end.

There's sort of a balance that I struck during undergraduate between working enough on my own to know that I confidently understood the material and attending office hours to get help when I was struck. Ultimately, what I loved about Purdue BME and what I sought out in medical school was a sense of community: I loved walking into class and knowing everyone and feeling at home. i suppose it was reminiscnet of being in my small hometown. Regardless, your classmates and professors are awesome as everyone's areas of expertise start to stratify you'll be able to rely on them both as a professional resource and as lifelong friends.