Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Student (2012)

“During my internship with Dr. Joel Fein at CIRP during the summer of 2012, I saw firsthand the importance of collaboration and communication to the multidisciplinary field of public health. I learned how to turn research results into discrete action steps that improve public health and/or inform further research. I learned that being organized, asking questions, and persevering are all important characteristics for successful research. Because of this, I am confident that CIRP provided me with a strong foundation for any future research endeavors.

On a more personal level, I saw firsthand how big of a difference a violence intervention program can make in the life of a minor. As a four-year varsity swimmer and captain on the Wellesley College Swim Team, I was inspired to combine my love for swimming with my newfound respect for violence intervention. On August 19, 2013, I successfully swam the English Channel in an effort to raise funds and awareness for violence intervention research.

While training for the English Channel this past summer, I also interned with Dr. David Ansell at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL as a 'Health Disparities Research Fellow.' Through social epidemiology, sociology, critical race theory, and biology literature, I explored how the social and physical structures that shape society can impact health. My research efforts contributed to the building of new chapters in a new book aiming to illuminate health disparities in urban centers.

I am very grateful for both of these summer opportunities because they helped me recognize the potential for physicians to catalyze change within their communities. As a pre-medical student, I now hope to not only bridge the gap between patients and their treatment, but also to bridge communities with the medical institutions that exist to serve them.”