Alumni Spotlight

Vanessa Hernandez-Zepeda graduated from UP in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science.  Upon reflection, Vanessa says that some of her most rewarding experiences as a Pilot were being a Cell and Molecular Biology Lab TA and the Pre-Medical Student Association President.  She was also able to participate in a medical internship with Dr. Flann while studying abroad in Granada, Spain (an experience that Vanessa says is “Highly Recommended!”).  Even though Vanessa had an full schedule, she managed to also work for Espresso UP her sophomore year and then starting scribing in the emergency departments of Legacy Health Hospitals at the end of her junior year.  She continued scribing during her gap year until she was accepted and started medical school up at OHSU last August.  We miss Vanessa here on the bluff but are so happy to see her continuing her journey to becoming a physician and we wish her all the best!

1.  Give a short description of your application process / tips for upcoming applicants.

I started studying for the MCAT at the end of my senior year and then took it after graduation.  I submitted my primary application to AMCAS in the summer and completed all my secondaries by the fall.  OHSU offered me a virtual interview in the winter and then accepted me into the MD class of 2025 in the spring.  IF you are pre-med, I highly recommend taking the Applying to Medical School course.

2.  How did your time at UP help with your career choice, application, etc.?

I participated in an immersion at the US-Mexico border the spring semester of my senior year.  Here we met with social justice groups that organize yearlong medical coverage for migrants.  These groups were constantly looking for local doctors and nurses who could respond to medical emergencies around the border.  Learning about immigration as a human right and public health issue helped me realize the depth of the medical field.  This broadened my understanding of how wide I could reach my services with a medical degree.

3.  What are your favorite memories of UP / any highlights?

One of my favorite memories of UP was getting to see a live birth during my medical internship abroad!

4.  What general advice would you give aspiring pre-health types?

My biggest piece of advice is to try and figure out what aspects of medicine excite you the most.  For me, it is being able to address racial and ethnic disparities in underserved communities.  The medical field is huge, so knowing what it is about health care you find appealing and carrying that into your pre-health experiences (clinical or not) will not only be rewarding but will help prepare you for the rigors of getting into your dream school.