When I first joined Pitt, naturally I felt out of place. I was six hours away from home and the comfort of familiarity and knew close to no one on campus, but it didn’t take long for Pitt’s friendly atmosphere to promptly clear away the uneasy feeling. I became more willing to reach out to others when I discovered that almost everyone is eager to help, whether it be for mapping out directions from Sutherland to Cathy or helping me connect with research mentors in my field of interest. It wasn’t long before I learned how truly powerful these connections are and I expect that they will play a significant role in supporting me in reaching my professional goals.

I’d say one of the first networks I participated in was the inter-student group. I interacted with  upperclassmen whose advice I used in molding my experiences on campus, such as determining which classes are best to take during my four years. Moreover, I discovered these interactions don’t necessarily have to be in person – there are countless groups on online platforms like Reddit that have invaluable resources and are often overlooked. 

For my prospective career in medicine, I would like to expand my professional network and interact with others who have also chosen the same path. My research mentor has been very helpful in guiding me and laying the foundations for my knowledge of research, and has also opened many doors for me, including that of the Brackenridge Fellowship. One obstacle I may come across is learning how to find and communicate with people located outside of Pittsburgh. I would like to explore other areas of the world and would want to speak to those with that experience, but with the internet and social media at my fingertips I’m confident that I’ll be able to do it! I can only imagine what I can learn from other individuals and I’m excited to do so in the near future.