Undergraduate Institution: University of Iowa

Research mentor: Jon Houtman, PhD (Microbiology and Immunology)
Research topic: Phenotype of human derived primary myeloid cells and the impact of several stimuli on their activation status

Background: I am originally Des Moines, Iowa, but currently live in Iowa City where I attended the University of Iowa for my Bachelor's of Science degree, completing it in spring 2024 with Honors in Biomedical Science and a minor in Spanish.

I see medicine is the ultimate form of advocacy, and I find such advocacy deeply fulfilling. Particularly during my work as a Patient Care Technician, I appreciated how much difference a physician could make on the lives of the patient. The physician-patient relationship is a very special thing.

Inspired by my background on my family farm, seeing how lack of healthcare negatively impacted both the health of rural communities, I want to use my role as a future physician to serve those who need it most. I also want to continue medical research, as within the Houtman lab I have seen how research can be a tool to help such underserved communities.

In my free time, I like playing chess and tennis. I also am completing my journey of reaching fluency in Spanish.