Med-school-ready & having fun
Why I chose to study bio-med at Ouachita
May 17, 2019
- Allie StuddardI grew up surrounded by medical professionals; the majority of adults in my life have
worked in the medical field in some way. I think I acquired an affinity for science
because of that. When I was still in elementary school, I asked my mother for her
nursing books so that I could learn about the disease that was making my grandmother
sick. I wanted to know why she was sick, what exactly was happening to her and how
the doctors were going to try to make her better. That was the initial spark that
started my thirst for biomedical knowledge.
Fast-forward to applying for college – I knew I wanted to go somewhere that could
set me on a good path for medical school. My grandfather attended Ouachita, as did
many of the doctors that I know. I looked into Ouachita as my first choice for college
and started to do research on what this school offered that would be beneficial for
that future. A quick search came up with the Biomedical Scholars Program here, and I was intrigued. The program was fairly new, young enough to not yet have
a class graduate, but I liked the idea of giving myself a challenge.
Ouachita’s Biomedical Scholars Program is a three-year program and accepts a small
number of applicants who will graduate with a B.S. degree in biomedical sciences and
a minor in either physics or chemistry. The program opens doors for members to shadow
local medical professionals and gives its students a focused path from the day they
step onto campus.
I was nervous when I got here; I had signed up to try and get a very difficult four-year
degree in three years. I thought to myself, “Allie, what are you getting yourself
into?” I was in for a really difficult first year academically. Classes were harder
than anything that I had ever taken before, and, in the beginning, I was so scared
that I would be unable to balance my time between extracurricular activities, class,
socialization and homework.
That wasn’t the case – I had a wonderful time my freshman year. I was able to camp
with friends, spend weekends away and still managed to do well academically. This
year, I joined Campus Ministries in a Tiger Tunes show, participated in Rush Week
and went to performances. Yet, I still feel that I have ample time to focus on my
studies.
Before classes began that freshman year, bio-med majors spend two weeks in “bootcamp,”
shadowing local physicians in many different areas of the medical and dental fields.
I personally got to shadow an internal medicine doctor, an OB/GYN, a dentist and other
professionals. I loved shadowing; I got to learn so much about the day-to-day life
of physicians, and it was so helpful to be able to narrow down what I do and don’t
want to do with my life.
In the beginning, the “bio-meds” in my class spent the majority of our time together.
We studied for exams together and did homework together, and all that time was full
of inside jokes, potlucks and laughing until our stomachs hurt and had tears streaming
down our faces. My favorite memory of our first semester was a camping trip during
our first few weeks on campus. We piled nine people in a tent meant for four on a
rainy autumn evening. We roasted s’mores and hot dogs over a fire that we built together,
and we talked for hours, bonding through sweat, stories and snoring.
One thing that Ouachita’s Biomedical Scholars Program requires participants to do
is to is to study abroad. My class spent a month of the summer after freshman year
in Costa Rica. We had a huge amount of fun with one another, learning Spanish and
exploring the Costa Rican rainforests and beaches. I will never forget all of the
laughs and adventures we shared.
Applying for the Biomedical Scholars Program is the best thing that I could have done
for my future – and for myself, as well. With these people, I have gained not only
knowledge that is preparing me for medical school, but also confidence, lifelong friendships
and joy.
By Allie Studdard, a senior biomedical sciences major from Benton, Ark.
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