As a hijab wearing, rock n roll loving, Tarantino film fan, I have never fit any stereotype. The contents of my backpack, ranging from concert ticket stubs to books on surrealist painters, are a sampling of the diverse interests whirling around in my mind. Over the past four years, I have learned to embrace all my passions rather than try to fit into any box. In this way, my Husky experience has been a balancing act – precarious at times, but immensely fulfilling. With patience, persistence, and creativity, I have discovered and rediscovered the following identities throughout college:
Life-long interdisciplinary learner: All knowledge is multifaceted. Any one fact, event, or story can be analyzed from various mindsets and perspectives. I intend to understand the world around me from as many perspectives as I can. Concretely, this is why I have majored in both biochemistry and comparative history of ideas, while also being a part of the interdisciplinary honors program.
Health equity innovator: I believe healthcare is a fundamental human right. As the founder and CEO of a startup nonprofit working to connect uninsured and undocumented individuals with healthcare resources, I am constantly thinking of new ideas, and new solutions to the problem of healthcare inequality. I hope to continue working towards health justice for all after I enter medical school in August, 2021.
Compassionate Medical Researcher: Pain, often referred to as the fifth vital sign, is an immense human problem that I personally face every day, as someone with rheumatoid arthritis. To better understand this pain, I have been passionate about experimenting and analyzing data through research – both in the wet lab, and in clinical settings.
Service focused collaborator: Change comes not from the minds of a few, but from the actions of the many. For this reason, I collaborate with my peers to serve my community. As the president of a service focused honor society, I collaborate with the rest of the members to create and enact service projects. Perhaps most importantly, I have collaborated with all of UW's health sciences schools in my work with University District Street Medicine.