By Genesis Rosario, Health Professions Peer Ambassador I felt clueless when looking at a syllabus for the FIRST time.  I felt nervous while finding my niche at UConn. Do you feel these ways too? If so, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Genesis Rosario and I’m a current senior majoring in Allied Health Sciences with a Health Sciences Concentration as a part of UConn’s Honors Program. I am an active member in the McNair Scholars Program, Rowe Scholars Program, Creating Caring Communities, Husky Insiders Program, and Pre-med/Pre-dent Advising Office as a Health Professions Peer Ambass ..read more

By Nour Al Zouabi, Health Professions Peer Ambassador Deciding when to apply to medical school can be a daunting task, but it is important to remember that the timing of your application should not be the source of stress in your life. Instead, focus on building a strong application and making sure you are well-prepared for the medical school admissions process. One of the most important things to consider when deciding when to apply to medical school is your readiness. Are you truly ready to take on the rigors of professional school and the responsibilities of being a physician? If not, it ma ..read more

By Qristine Owusu, Health Professions Peer Ambassador There are a lot of hot topics when it comes to college, but I think a very important topic is exploring majors. Entering college, I was very certain that psychological sciences was the most interesting major area for me. I thought being in this major could help me balance my future pre-dental course load and my fun courses for learning about the brain. Within three months of my freshman year, I was automatically influenced by other opinions around me: “No, no, no, trust me–you’re going to want to take on a biological sciences major. It woul ..read more

By Aesha Acevedo, Health Professions Peer Ambassador Beginning my college journey, I knew I needed and wanted to gain more clinical experience to further ensure that being in the medical field was for me. I had never doubted myself in knowing that I wanted to be in this field on the clinical side of things, but I wanted to continue exploring my passions in new ways.  In high school I had some experiences both in the classroom and through outside volunteering that led me to seek out this field. Those included being in an MRT [medical response technician]/EMR [emergency medical responder] c ..read more

By Keely Greiner, former Health Professions Peer Ambassador As many of you know, the idea of a growth year (or years) is becoming increasingly popular among pre-medical and pre-dental students. Some students choose to advance their education before going to medical or dental school via a master’s degree or post-baccalaureate program. This post will be discussing the differences between them, popular options for pre-meds and pre-dents, and why you might consider these programs. A post-baccalaureate, or “postbac,” program is a non-degree/certificate program meant to be done after you graduate fr ..read more

By Yulianny De Los Santos, Health Professions Peer Ambassador Welcome back, Huskies! I hope you all had a restful and fun-filled summer, whether it was time spent with friends/families, working an internship, getting clinical hours, serving your communities, or traveling. I hope you’re all ready for an exciting Fall 2022 semester. It’s nice to see things on campus going semi-back to normal as well. To the Freshmen: You’re in college!!!! Things may seem overwhelming at the moment as you navigate such a large campus while feeling the urge to find a place of belonging. That place will find you, s ..read more

By Keely Greiner, Health Professions Peer Ambassador It is easy to get caught up in hustle culture. We feel like we need to rush in order to get to where we need to go. Our society praises achievement in proportion with the age at which you have achieved something. We rush through life, always grasping for the next thing, and forget to enjoy life as it happens. At least, this is how I’ve felt. Learning how to go at my own pace has been life-changing for me. It’s still so easy to compare myself to others, but ultimately, I have to remind myself that there is no one path to get to where I’m goin ..read more

By Qristine Owusu, Health Professions Peer Ambassador I thought transitioning from high school to college was going to be a simple walk in the park. It turns out it’s basically an obstacle course marathon. High school always had its great days, great grades, and even great mental state! After I graduated and walked into college, I had the same mindset as I had in high school. I would go to class, do the work that would be handed to me, take my aesthetic notes for class, and go back to my dormitory. Once back in my dorm, I would not lay one finger on a book to study for each class. Of course, I ..read more

By Nour Al Zouabi, Health Professions Peer Ambassador Feeling enthusiastic about a specific course, but it does not fit your major’s requirements? Take it! Feeling hesitant to change your major to a major that you are genuinely passionate about? Why not, since you are still contributing to diversity in the health field by bringing an interdisciplinary view to medicine.  It is critical to note that you are NOT required to pursue a bachelor’s degree in a specific major as a pre-medical or pre-dental student. Your major during your undergraduate studies does not necessarily define your passi ..read more

By Keely Greiner, Health Professions Peer Ambassador A lot of students find it daunting to begin their first clinical experience, especially if they will be working with patients directly for the first time. I remember being terrified, shaking and palms sweating, the first time I walked into my hospital. But, I kept an open mind, always asked questions, and took every opportunity to learn. I was flexible, I communicated with my coworkers, I helped however I could, and now I’m very confident in my work. I also have a much stronger stomach.  I’ve also learned to assert myself more—something ..read more