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Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Ottawa, Canada, and moved to Michigan when I was 7. I went to Michigan State University, where I majored in physiology, with minors in bioethics and philosophy. After graduating with my bachelor’s, I took a research gap year at the University of Michigan before enrolling at CCLCM in 2021. I’m in my final year here and am looking forward to graduating in 2026.
Why CCLCM?
I love CCLCM’s approach to assessments. The lack of emphasis on testing means that we get more opportunities to engage in problem-based learning and to collaborate with each other. CCLCM also strongly values introspection as a learning tool, and I thoroughly enjoy receiving detailed feedback and engaging in reflective writing. These opportunities for self-directed growth are enhanced by small class sizes as well as faculty who are eager to serve as mentors.
What are some of your favorite CCLCM experiences?
One of my favorite experiences at CCLCM has been being involved with Stethos, our medical humanities journal. I served as an editor during my first couple years of medical school and have served as co-editor-in-chief during my third and fourth years. I’m constantly in awe of the creativity and artistic talent of folks in our community and beyond. Viewing medicine through a humanistic lens provides me with a refreshing reminder as to why I chose to enter this profession.
I also had the privilege of co-leading our school’s book club during my second year. Not only did I get to connect with my peers over books, but we also hosted amazing guests such as Nobel Prize-winning physician-scientist Robert Lefkowitz, MD, who spoke about his career journey.
Tell us about your research year project.
I conducted my research at Cleveland Clinic under cardiologist and heart failure specialist Wilson Tang, MD. My thesis project focused on a condition known as heart failure with improved/recovered ejection fraction (HFimpEF), which refers to a state in which patients who have a heart with weak pumping function subsequently achieve improvement through medication and device therapies. While current clinical guidelines recommend that all patients with HFimpEF should continue to receive treatment unabated and indefinitely, due to risk of relapse and adverse events, there is growing awareness that a subset of these patients might be able to safely de-escalate treatment. However, it has been difficult to personalize treatment recommendations for patients with HFimpEF, as we did not have any robust clinical markers for risk-stratifying these patients. My research sought to better characterize HFimpEF, including identifying clinical markers that can risk-stratify patients with this condition. Through multiple retrospective cohort studies as well as a clinical study, we were able to identify multiple clinical markers that can risk-stratify patients with HFimpEF.
What advice would you give to new CCLCM students?
Trust the process. We have one of the most unique medical school curriculums in the country, which can initially be unfamiliar, especially since we don’t have exams to assess knowledge. However, through engaging in problem-based learning, obtaining early clinical exposure and receiving continual personalized feedback, you will have ample opportunities to learn and reinforce key clinical concepts that will prepare you for the USMLE exams and, more importantly, real-world patient care.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
My favorite show of all time is Avatar: The Last Airbender (the original animated series, not the new live-action one). The show has a beautiful storyline, and it’s funny, philosophical and enjoyable for people of all ages. I highly recommend giving it a watch!
