1.Tell us a little bit about yourself.   My name is Britt. I graduated in 2011 from UC San Diego with a BS in Psychology (Neuroscience and Behavior concentration) and a minor in Bio. After graduation, I worked for a few years in a Psychiatrist’s research Lab (Laboratory of Biological Dynamics and Theoretical Medicine). Since then, I have moved back to my hometown and have worked in some other research/outpatient settings. After moving back, I not only felt very certain that I wanted to pursue a medical degree, either an MD or an MD-PhD, but that I was ready to start actively working towards applying. For me, this includes not just coursework, but also seeking experiences that will push me out of my comfort zone a bit. It also means helping other pre-meds when I can. Being a non-traditional student has provided me with a lot of experiences that I find are helpful to other students I am meeting along the path. More recently, I have started retaking some of the pre-requisite courses because by the time I apply to medical school, the ones I have taken previously will have expired. Aside from talking about medicine and the brain, I love to swim, go to concerts, hike, or just generally be near the ocean.

2. Who was your favorite teacher in school and how did he or she impact you?  I’ve had a few impactful teachers, but the first and most memorable is my undergrad English professor who helped me overcome some self-limiting beliefs surrounding my own writing. Prior to that, I actually thought I was a terrible writer and that there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I thought I was just better at math, and maybe my brain ‘didn’t work that way.’ That was, until this professor gave me some positive feedback and gave me enough confidence to believe in my ability to write well.

3. When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor and why? I think I was a sophomore in college. But looking back the seeds were already there, it just took me a while to realize that this career had all of the pieces of what I was looking for and seemed to fit my personality. I came across a book at Barnes and Noble called The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force by Jeffrey Schwartz, MD and Sharon Begley. This book inspired me to pursue studying the brain in some capacity. Not only to study it, but to find ways to help people with whatever they are struggling with. That may be mental, physical, or spiritual. It’s something I realized I am inclined to do, that is, to seek ways to help lift people up. Whether it is just through words of encouragement or hopefully one day directly helping a patient.

4. What area of medicine are you interested in? Psychiatry/Neuroscience

5. What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far on your premedical journey? It is hard to choose, but working in a research lab on some really cool projects is at the top. As the lead coordinator, I would take research subjects through various studies form recruitment and phone screening, to consent, neuropscyh testing, assisting at fMRI imaging scans, and closing them out of the study. I love to talk to all different kinds of people and I realized that became a strength when working one on one with participants, especially when discussing really sensitive information as is required in the kinds of studies we worked on. The science was cool, but it was really getting to talk to people and having them trust me enough to open up that was awesome. There was a veteran that shared some things with me that he had only shared with possibly only those he served with and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.

6. What is your favorite book? It’s really a tie between the Mind and the Brain, because it was this idea of neuroplasticity that drove me to study the brain and Man’s search for meaning. The latter was written by Viktor Frankl, a Psychiatrist who survived the concentration camps in WW2. I think my perspective really shifted after reading this. I’ll leave some quotes, because I like his words better than mine on this subject:

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

“A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the ‘why’ for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any ‘how.’”

“A thought transfixed me: for the first time in my life, I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth – that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire.{

“The more one forgets himself – by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love – the more human he is.”

7. Tell us one thing interesting about you that most people don’t know. I love to sing. I actually played my first open mic last month but didn’t tell many people about it. It’s something I want to pursue in the future as a hobby to whatever extent I can.

8. What do you like most about PreMed StAR?  I love that I have found place to nerd out on all things pre-med. As a non-traditional student it can be difficult to find people that relate to the particular things that go along with pursuing a medical degree. It is a platform to bond with other premeds, learn more about how I can be a better applicant, compile all the components that will go into an application, and share my experience and hope with those that join this journey after me. I am relatively new to this platform, but am thankful that I have been welcomed and supported in this short time.

Are you a premed? Join Diverse Medicine now. It's free!