PreHealth Spotlight: Jessie Horoschak

Class year: 2018
Major: Microbiology

I was very interested in the intersection between gender, race, and accessibility of health care, and pursued a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, while completing a dual degree in Microbiology and Public Health...

Vitals

• Current student at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Took 2 Gap Years Working as a Medical Assistant at Harvard Vanguard in Boston

While at UMass Amherst...

• Worked with Pediatric Therapy Network serving children with behavioral issues
• Research experience at UMass, Novartis Institute, and UC San Diego
• Worked at Earthfoods 
• Center for Women and Community Rape Crisis Counselor
• Medical service trips to Peru and Nepal

I grew up in a multi-racial home in Los Angeles, played water polo on the UMass Club Water Polo Team, and worked multiple jobs throughout undergrad. In my undergraduate journey I knew pretty early on that I wanted to go to medical school, but I was interested in others courses and disciplines beyond the classic pre-med requirements. I was very interested in the intersection between gender, race, and accessibility of health care, and pursued a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, while completing a dual degree in Microbiology and Public Health.

After graduating from UMass in 2018, I moved to Boston and worked as a medical assistant at Harvard Vanguard in the Department of Internal Medicine for 2 years. Working as a medical assistant helped prepare me for medical school in so many ways. I worked directly in patient care, took vitals, completed point of care testing such as urine dips, ekgs, ear irrigations, and assisted in gynecological exams. I am so happy to have taken 2 gap years before medical school. I was able to learn different clinical styles, medical terminology and procedures, and work with a diverse patient population. My clinical experience was amazing; it was challenging, fast-paced, and exciting. I was always on my feet, going from patient to patient, doing different clinical tests, and assisting clinicians with any administrative work like going over lab results with patients and arranging specialty appointments.

The most powerful experience I had at UMass was working as a rape crisis counselor at the Center for Women and Community. I provided support to survivors in crisis, providing resources, medical, and legal advocacy. I also had 2 great opportunities to do medical volunteering. I traveled to Nepal after the earthquake in 2015 and helped with medical volunteering at schools and orphanages. We taught kids how to brush their teeth and helped with physical check ups. I also volunteered in small rural villages in Peru. I became interested in medicine at a young age. I was always fascinated by the human body and disease. What led me to pursue a career as a physician was witnessing my mother and grandmother feel isolated from the medical community. I wanted to be the physician that my mother and grandmother never had.

Looking back, several significant experiences helped prepare me for medical school. I think having a diverse range of research experiences really solidified my research interests and gave me exposure to different lab techniques and projects. Pursuing summer internships at Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Sciences and UCSD School of Medicine allowed me to present my research at conferences and connect with the science community in a more meaningful way. I discovered my passion for immunology research and completed an honors thesis in immunology.

Working at Earthfoods was another great experience, I recommend supporting student run businesses and working for UMass co-ops!

I took the MCAT twice. The MCAT is rough for everyone. However, it doesn’t last forever! My advice: take the MCAT when you feel ready. Of course, no one ever feels 100% ready. But take it once, and put your all into it. After months of studying, prepping, and focus, I regret taking the MCAT the first time. I was not in a place to take the MCAT, but decided to anyway. The second time around was much better. I was working full time and took an MCAT class to prepare since it had been some time. Of course the MCAT prep courses are expensive and not feasible for everyone. I did it because I needed a strict schedule and was working at the time. Do what works for best for you.

I think what made me a good candidate for medical school was my mission to work with underserved populations and be an advocate for patients and survivors of sexual assault, my passion for social justice and women’s health, my dedication to service through working as a rape crisis counselor, medical volunteer, and my research experiences.

The application cycle was fun and stressful. I was also working full time while applying to schools so it was tough balancing all the essay writing and interviews. Get ready to write— A LOT—— especially about yourself and why you want to go to medical school. Stay organized with all the essays because some schools ask similar secondary prompts!

Interviews were so much fun! I enjoyed visiting schools and meeting other interviewees, med students, and seeing if the school would be a good fit for me. Interviews can sometimes be stressful, but if the school asks you for an interview, they have already screened you for their academic qualifications, so the interview is your time to let your personality shine! Remember to be yourself and use the interview as an opportunity to see if you can see yourself at the school. Sometimes it was a feeling, sometimes it's the faculty, the other med students, or the culture at the school. At interviews, I always made sure to talk to current students and hear their perspectives and see if there was anything about the school that they would change.

Congrats on making it this far and deciding you want to apply to med school! This journey can be tough and stressful, but remember to be proud of all your accomplishments and remember that your experiences will lead you to becoming a great physician some day. Don’t give up!

Published February 2021