Hi!

My name is Marianne and I'm from the SF Bay Area :)

Towards 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 wondered 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 initial diagnosis, to undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and ultimately having her cancer go into remission, sparked my interest in medicine--I wanted to help patients and their families during 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 my first 2 gap years working in academic research at UCSF and investigated the progression of premalignant states to invasive cancers. I later took the initiative to shadow a radiation oncologist who specialized in treating gynecologic cancers, eventually working on a vulvar cancer research project together.

My experiences reaffirmed my interest in oncology but also revealed a budding interest in OBGYN. I spent my last 2 gap years scribing at an endocrinology/internal medicine clinic, which was an amazing opportunity to learn about what makes a strong relationship between patients and physicians. As a first-year medical student, there have been so many opportunities to shadow various specialties, strengthen pre-existing interests, and find new ones along the way. I'm so appreciative of the opportunity to serve as a Guiding Hands mentor and on the leadership team for one of UCISOM's free student-run clinics.

The research I'm involved in at UCI has offered a way to explore specialty interests and make impactful contributions that will ultimately improve patients' clinical outcomes. Overall, I'm incredibly thankful for UCISOM and am excited for what's coming :) In my free time, I like to run, strength train, read, hang out with friends, and spend time with my rescue pup Willow whenever I'm home!! (the pic is from one of our day trips to Muir Beach Overlook in Marin County, CA)