Turning a Curiosity for Medicine into a Passion

When Annie ’20 traveled to the Dominican Republic last summer, it wasn’t all white sand beaches and crystal-clear blue water. She traded in her sun hat and flip flops for a set of scrubs and a lab coat as a pre-med intern in both private and public hospitals in La Romana.

Through Global Pre-Meds, a program designed for high school and college students who are interested in shadowing doctors on an international scale, Annie gained first-hand experience in both operating rooms and emergency rooms during her four-week residency. Each week, she was assigned a new specialty and a mentor to guide her learning. She spent her time bandaging, taking vitals, comforting and encouraging patients, and even had a seat at the table in diagnostic consultations. She learned new skills like reading CAT Scans and X-Rays, casting, suturing, and taking blood.
 
“My first week was pediatrics and maternity, which was by far my favorite,” says Annie. “To have the opportunity to be a part of bringing a new child into this world is mind-boggling and indescribable. Nothing could top this experience.”  She spent additional rotations in general surgery, emergency medicine, and general medicine.
 
Annie’s experience was a part of the Cullman Scholarship Program, which supports students in off-campus study opportunities. The scholarship program, established in 1983 with a gift form Hugh Cullman ’42, provided 11 students in 2019 with the opportunity to pursue courses of study. Students this year worked in Wildlife Conservation in Yellowstone National Park, studied filmmaking and writing in France, and studied Neuroscience at Oxford University.
 
“Despite scarce resources and challenges that face any developing nation, the Dominican people have shown me more hope and passion than I have ever seen. My curiosity for medicine has become a love thanks to this experience,” says Annie. “I am forever grateful.”
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