Joy is always going to The Branch Fellowship events. She volunteers with Brown Elementary Afterschool Mentoring (BEAM) at one of the local elementary schools. She is concentrating in Biology and is considering a second concentration in East Asian Studies. She also has a YouTube channel and is learning to play the guitar. She loves the idea of studying abroad either in Korea or Africa.

I was inspired to apply to the PLME because all the doctors I remember most, that made me feel in awe, were amazing pursuers of something not entirely medical. They knew different languages or understood/applied traditional medicine. That was the kind of doctor I wanted to be. Secondly, there were so many other interests of mine that I wanted to look into.

To a high school student considering PLME, I would say: if you know why you want to be a doctor, apply with that reason in mind and refer to it all over your application. There’s no aspiring medical personnel that does not belong in PLME.

In terms of how I see PLME preparing me not just for medical school, but for life, I think my advising dean is always encouraging me to do less, but do the less well. To put focus on the few things that matter. Just the ability to learn things as deeply as possible because you never know when that could translate to what you need to do.