Alumni Spotlight

In this Alumni Spotlight, we are proud to introduce Christine Nguyen who graduated from UP back in 2016, majoring in Biology and minoring in Sociology.  During her time on the bluff she had opportunities to work with Dr. Dizney in the biology lab, Dr. Francisco-Menchavez in sociology as well as with Dr. Sullivan doing neuroscience research.  Knowing the rigor and time it takes to become a physician, she took some time off before applying to medical school & worked as a hospitalist scribe at Providence Portland Medical Center, a medical coordinator at St. Mary’s Home for Boys residential facility, and then a clinical research coordinator for the Maternal Fetal Medicine division of OB/GYN at OHSU.  She says that these gap years allowed her to “take that time to really reflect on my life and see if medicine was something I truly wanted to pursue. Applying to medical school was tough, but I think everything happens for a reason, and now here I am!”.  Christine is now a medical student at PNWU and has been very active in trying to reach out to UP students as a mentor & with lots of great opportunities for them to get involved / connected.  We are very thankful for her continued support of our undergrads and wish her all the best as a future physician!

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

Since I knew that I wanted to take time off between finishing undergrad and medical school, I took an MCAT prep course once I graduated from UP and started to work. I highly encourage upcoming applicants to take a prep course if you can and volunteer or work with physicians whether that involves shadowing, scribing, etc. It is important to get some clinical experience.

I spent 2-3 months preparing for everything prior to applying for medical school. I took the MCAT, had my letters of recommendation, and my personal statement with work experience and activities done. For upcoming applicants, I would recommend asking for LORs at least 1-2 months in advance. You want to give your recommenders time to write a meaningful letter. Also, submit your application as early as possible. Secondary applications will come soon thereafter, and it is ideal to turn those around within two weeks. You can do it.

2.  How did your time at UP help you with your career choice, application, etc.?  (involvement, academics, research, advising, etc.)

My time at UP helped me grow as a person through the professors I worked with in the lab, research, and beyond. My mentors at UP helped me build my professional portfolio through writing research manuscripts, utilizing software programs, and building my interpersonal skills. I am grateful that I had strong, inspirational female professors to support me in my journey in medicine, even to this day. Through my education at UP, I also gained a passion for sociology, which has helped give me a different perspective on the importance of societal institutions and public health as well as how I can apply what I learned to my future clinical practice.

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

Some of my favorite UP memories were when we had Rock the Bluff. My friends and I would always make an event out of it because UP would bring new musicians every year. The friends that I made during my time at UP are still some of my closest friends. It is those times of bonding, studying, and having fun that make school that much more meaningful.

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

I would recommend gaining experiences outside of school, whether that is volunteering, scribing, shadowing, or working. If you are not ready to apply to professional school or pursue any more schooling now, that is totally fine. Take the time to relax, travel, have fun, and gain new experiences. Medical school is very rigorous, and you do not get many breaks. Enjoy your time and be present. Everything will work out the way that it is supposed to.