PreHealth Spotlight: Kristina Boguslawski

Class year: 2013
Major: Microbiology

The summer I applied to medical schools was pretty overwhelming. If I were to do it over again, I would have taken the MCAT sooner to relieve some of this stress.

Vitals 

• Third year, NYU School of Medicine’s MD/PhD program
• Three years research in Kevin Griffith’s laboratory, resulting in a recent publication
• RA
• Calculus TA
• Immunology lab
• Medical experience: cared for elderly woman with dementia, volunteered at adult day care facility and senior center, completed EMT basic course, shadowed medical professionals

My time at UMass Amherst was essential in shaping my career goals and giving me the opportunities I needed to take the first steps. Early in my college career, I strove to explore as many new avenues as I could. This included joining a research lab the summer after my freshman year, where I quickly found that applying the scientific method to my own project was very satisfying. While I had already had some interest in medical careers, I wanted to delve deeper into biomedical research and further develop my skills as a scientist. I decided to apply to MD/PhD programs, where I would learn how to evaluate human health from both basic science and clinical perspectives. This will prepare me for a career as a physician-scientist, where I hope to spend time both in the lab and in the clinic.

The summer I applied to medical schools was pretty overwhelming. I was filling out applications and studying for the MCAT while working full time in lab, taking online classes, and rehearsing for a play. If I were to do it over again, I would have taken the MCAT sooner to relieve some of this stress. During this time I was very focused on the weaknesses in my application. I wondered whether I would get in anywhere at all, and I applied to a few extra schools in a panic, hoping to increase my odds. Thankfully, a few weeks after my application was finalized, invitations to interview started to roll in. I received my first acceptance two weeks after my first interview, and I wondered why I was ever so worried. I credit my success in the interview process to my ability to talk knowledgeably about my research and articulate why I wanted to do the dual-degree program.

The Medical Scientist Training Program at NYU was my top-choice program because of its many excellent research labs, well-organized administration, top-notch clinical training at some of New York CIty's best and most diverse hospitals, and the excitement and convenience of living in Manhattan. I have now completed my pre-clinical medical school classes and am about six months into my thesis lab work. I joined Victor Torres’ lab, where we study leukotoxins produced by S. aureus and their role in pathogenesis. I selected this lab because Victor is an excellent mentor and the lab churns out great, high-impact science.

When I’m not in lab, I spend my time volunteering at the NYC Free Clinic at NYU, singing with a student-run choir, and exploring the city.

Published October 2015