1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.  I was born in Bangladesh. I came to America in 2011. I graduated from SUNY Binghamton this year with a major in Integrative Neuroscience. I am passionate about education, teaching and physical and mental health. When I was in college, I was greatly involved in many extracurricular activities, including research, teaching and tutoring, internships, leadership activities and volunteering. I love mentoring. As a pre-health peer advisor, I mentored many students about classes, research and volunteering opportunities and career planning. Some of these students kept in touch with me even after my graduation and, I continue to help them with their questions.

2. Who was your favorite teacher in school and how did he or she impact you? My favorite teacher in school was Dr. Morrissey. I took General Psychology, Statistical Analysis and Design and Research Methods with him. Dr. Morrissey taught me everything about psychology, from Pavlov’s dogs to attachment theory. In class, I would always think, “how does he know everything?” I would often go to his office for advice related to my family and friends. He encouraged me to apply for research and study hard for my MCAT. He also provided me emotional support when I needed it and wrote me 10+ letters of recommendation for various programs and scholarships.

3. When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor and why?  My interest in medicine sparked from dealing with an illness in my family when I was a kid. Since then, I realized how a person’s home and community can affect their health. When I came to the US, I explored my medical interest in this new country by immersing myself in medical related activities. I was selected as one of five volunteers at the NYU Langone Medical Center where I greeted patients and showed them directions to the hospital buildings. I also worked at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center that summer. My hospital experiences showed me how I love working with the underserved population. The amount of time and energy that is needed to provide the best healthcare plan for this population is something I am excited to invest myself in. I have heard many stories from my patients about the various socio-economic factors that led them to health issues, such as substance abuse and becoming an alcoholic. I would like to serve as a resource for these types of people. As a future physician, I will implement health programs in underserved communities to promote awareness of physical and mental health in those communities. I will also focus on the preventive aspect of medicine in my practice. Finally, I want to build a free hospital in Bangladesh when I am able to do so.

4. What area of medicine are you interested in? I have recently been accepted to medical school and since then, I have been watching many Youtube videos of medical students to learn about their experiences in medical school. I am open to explore my interests and strengths in all the specialties. However, currently, I am interested in psychiatry and neurology along with nephrology which I researched for two years in college.

5. What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far on your premedical journey? My coolest experience so far on my premedical journey is my research on kidney disease. I was a fellow for the Short-Term Research Experience for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) program and I performed my research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As a fellow, I was able to use my knowledge from the classroom to discover a biomarker for acute kidney injury. I learned lab techniques, such as immunohistochemistry, western blot and PCR, shadowed my mentor at the Montefiore Children’s Hospital, attended classes where she taught medical students, went to lab meetings and participated in various conferences. After my research, I presented my oral and poster presentations at Einstein, the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Maryland and Experimental Biology Conferences 2016 and 2017 in San Diego and Chicago respectively. My research abstract was published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) journal. This year, I was part of this fellowship for the second time and performed my research on preeclampsia with the same researcher. I was able to have the same “cool” experience once again and presented my new research at Einstein and the NIH.

6. What is your favorite book?  My favorite book is Brick Lane by Monica Ali. This book is about a Bangladeshi woman, Nazneen who gets married off to a much older man in Brick Lane, London. One aspect of the book focuses on how Nazneen does not have any independence in her household because all the family decisions are made by her husband. In the end, Nazneen regains her independence by starting her own sowing business.

7. Tell us one thing interesting about you that most people don’t know. One thing about me that most people do not know is how cultural I am. When I am at home, I always listen to Bengali music, watch Bengali movies and shows and sometimes, read Bengali blogs and articles. My family and I attend lunch or dinner parties with my relatives almost every month. We celebrate Eid, Bengali new year, mother’s day, birthdays, etc.

8. What do you like most about PreMed STAR? I like the supportive environment of PreMed STAR the most. Whenever someone needs help with personal statements, understanding a concept or applying to a program, there is always someone who is there to help him or her. When I applied to medical school, I made a post asking for help to review my personal statement. One student reached out to me and gave me tips on improving it. Support like this will keep this pre-med community move forward and help us achieve our dreams!

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