Medical Student Summer Research Scholars (Part 2)

SARAH BOGAN

Hometown: Sanford, NC

Education: BS Pre-medical Biology , Campbell University

Hobbies: Taking my dog hiking, traveling, target shooting, exploring new food, going to zoos and aquariums, and mudding!

Research project title and role? Deltoid Muscle Fiber Architecture.

I worked with classmate Justin Baird on this project; we dissected cadavers to remove their deltoid muscles. We digested the muscles in nitric acid and measured the fibers lengths and observed muscle pennation.

Why did you choose to participate in the summer scholars program and what did you learn? Anatomy was my favorite class during our first year of medical school, and I missed not working with cadavers due to COVID-19. I thought the MSSR program would be a great opportunity to dive deeper in anatomy while getting hands-on experience with cadavers at the same time. I never thought of specializing in surgery, but I think I’m pretty talented with a knife due to all this practice.

Advice to MS-I’s and future medical students: Find a study schedule that works for you and stick with it. This is likely to be very different from how you studied in undergrad. Also, you don’t have to use ANKI to do well in medical school. I really hate flashcards.

MADELINE WALKER

Hometown: Andover, MN

Education: Bachelor of Science in Biology and Biochemistry with a Minor in Psychology, First Year, UW-Madison, then transferred to University of Northern Iowa

Hobbies: Hiking, traveling, going to coffee shops, listening to podcasts, and watching movies

Research project title and role? Anti-tNASP Antibody in the Serum of Patients with Lung Cancer and Thyroid Cancer; student research assistant for Dr. Oleg Alekseev.

Why did you choose to participate in Summer Scholars program and what did you learn? I saw this as an opportunity to immerse myself in a field of medicine that I am interested in as well as being able to contribute to a project that may have huge implications for diagnosing patients with cancer. I have learned so much about the research process and the impact we as medical students can have in the medical community.

Advice for MS-Is and future medical students: Take the advice you receive about studying with a grain of salt because everyone is unique and what works for someone else may not work for you. Be honest with yourself about how you best study, and if something that used to work for you is no longer doing the job, then don’t be afraid to try something new!

CELESTE R. GRACEY

Hometown: Kirkland, WA

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Communications-Journalism, University of Washington

Hobbies: Hiking, family bike rides, and baking/cooking.

Research project title and role: An Investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy within Rural Regions of North Carolina

Why did you choose to participate in the summer scholars program and what did you learn? Summer Scholars is an amazing opportunity to get connected to the research community at Campbell and in North Carolina. My research is also on a topic that is near and dear to my heart. Not only has vaccine hesitancy in my home state led to measles outbreaks, but the first major COVID-19 outbreak in the US occurred in the neighborhood where I grew up. Vaccines are the most significant advancement ever made in medicine. Understanding why people are uncertain about them and learning how to address those concerns will only increase that impact.

Advice to MS-I’s and future medical students: Change your definition of success. Perfect grades and high scores may have played an important role in making it this far, but you are about to enter a world where your success is not limited by what the people sitting on your left and your right are doing. While passing classes alone is truly a triumph, the deluge of information does not let up after an exam. Everything has to be done with sustainability and persistence in mind, which means it is essential to build experiences into your schedule that re-energize your body and spirit.

SUMIYAH ENAYET

Hometown: Cary, NC

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, Minors in Chemistry and Broadcast Journalism, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Masters of Science in Nutrition, Columbia University

Hobbies: I love to spend time with my two cats named Zuko and Katara, play video games, run, sing, draw and sew!

Research project title and role: “Outcomes for Intensive Interventions in Tertiary Clinical Pediatric Weight Management Program”, Research Assistant for Dr. Samareh Hill and Dr. Shirley Huang at WakeMed

Why you chose to participate in the summer scholars program and what you are learning? Research is the foundation for new innovations in medicine and is vital for improving treatment and shaping policy. During my masters program, I enjoyed conducting research and learning more about nutrition and obesity. I saw Summer Scholars as a valuable opportunity to get more research experience and learn more about a topic I am passionate about. I have been able to learn about targeting the multiple facets of health when treating patients and meeting patients where they are in order to help them reach their health goals.

Advice to MS-Is and future medical students: Take everything one day at a time and focus on becoming a better version of yourself everyday rather than comparing yourself to others. Find something you love to do outside of school for the days you need a break, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it!

MELISSA JENKINS SOARES

Hometown: LaSalle, IL (but I have spent the last 20 years in Asheville, NC and claim it as home!)

Education: BS in Biology, minor in business management, UNCA

Hobbies: Yoga, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and hiking with my husband and 2 kids.

Research project title and role? Urine Drug Screen Measuring Medication Absorption Rates in the Bariatric Population. My role is data collection and analysis plus shadowing in the bariatric clinic and OR.

Why did you choose to participate in the summer scholars program and what did you learn? As a future family med physician, I want to understand the unique needs of any population that might seek my care. This project focuses on how different bariatric surgeries may affect the absorption rates of many common medications prescribed in a family med setting.

Advice to MS-Is and future medical students: When things seem overwhelming, stay focused, trust the process, and take it one day at a time. You’ve got this and you deserve to be here!