Toward the end of my senior year of high school, a close family member was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. I remember feeling perplexed by the diagnosis and wondering how someone who looked after her health so well and never smoked a day in her life could become so sick.
Witnessing my family member’s journey from diagnosis through chemotherapy and radiotherapy—and ultimately remission—sparked my interest in medicine. I wanted to help patients and their families through their most vulnerable moments and help them regain their lives.
After graduating from UC Davis with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, I spent two gap years in academic research at UCSF investigating the progression of premalignant states to invasive cancers. I later shadowed a radiation oncologist specializing in gynecologic cancers and worked with her on a vulvar cancer research project.
Those experiences reaffirmed my interest in oncology and revealed a budding interest in OBGYN. I then spent two years scribing at an endocrinology and internal medicine clinic, where I learned what makes a strong patient–physician relationship.
At UCI, I’m grateful to serve as a Guiding Hands mentor and on the leadership team of a student-run free clinic. Research has also given me a way to explore specialty interests and contribute to better clinical outcomes. Outside school, I enjoy running, strength training, reading, time with friends, and adventures with my rescue pup, Willow.
