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Year: UC Berkeley, Class of 2021 Major: B.A. Public Health (honors) and B.A. Molecular and Cell Biology (College of Letters and Science) Hometown: Dublin, CA Clubs involved in at Berkeley: Asha for Education, Songwriting at Berkeley, Organic Chemistry Teacher Scholars, Health Advocate at Highland Hospital, CRISPR Research at the Innovative Genomics Institute, Campus Ambassador Work Experience: Intern at REACH Shirati; Summer Research Intern at Sandia National Laboratories; Medical Assistant at San Francisco Otolaryngology; Clinical Research Coordinator with UCSF Oncology Current full-time position: Medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, pursuing an MD/MPH dual degree and a scholar concentration in Equity Innovation Medicine Languages: Telugu (fluent) Interested in Tutoring? Navya specializes tutoring students in UC Berkeley's Chem 1A, Chem 3A, Chem 3B, Bio 1A, MCB102, and any BioChem course! Colleges Accepted To: UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, San Jose State, University of Washington, George Washington University, Boston University, Boston College, Tufts, University of Connecticut, and Penn State Tests Taken: MCAT, ACT, Math SAT Subject Test, Biology SAT Subject Test |
While I spent the majority of high school and all four years of college in California, much of my younger life was spent in Massachusetts. When I moved across the country in 2014, I had a difficult time acclimating to the culture and desperately wanted to move back “home” for college. But I soon came to realize that this decision was not going to be an easy one. After receiving acceptances from around the country, I made every organizational effort possible to make the right choice for me. Ultimately, the choice came down to my college visits. The very minute I stepped onto campus at UC Berkeley, I felt at home. As a premed student, I felt very suffocated by all the requirements and rules that seemed to dictate the premed path to medicine, but at Berkeley, I felt something different. I felt freedom to pursue all of my interests and really became the person I wanted to be. I was challenged academically and personally, forced to think outside of the box and fight for myself, and take time to reflect on my progress. I’ve learned to be curious and learn from others. I’ve reinforced my commitment to medicine through various activities and those, in conjunction with the interpersonal skills I've developed, are what genuinely make me excited for my future. Education has so much to offer and I hope to carry forward all of my educational experiences as I work with you all!
I will always be the first to say that college and career planning is so overwhelming. But it is so important to keep an open mind. While it can be easy to fall into the bubble of whatever path you’re on, college is a time to really explore all of your interests. So I encourage you all to take classes outside of your comfort zone, join new clubs that you may not traditionally think of joining, pick up a hobby or dive deep into something you may have dabbled in previously. And remember there is always something to learn from the people you meet along the way! This holistic approach to education is one of the many reasons I chose to attend UC Berkeley and I can say without a doubt that it has made me who I am today.
I will always be the first to say that college and career planning is so overwhelming. But it is so important to keep an open mind. While it can be easy to fall into the bubble of whatever path you’re on, college is a time to really explore all of your interests. So I encourage you all to take classes outside of your comfort zone, join new clubs that you may not traditionally think of joining, pick up a hobby or dive deep into something you may have dabbled in previously. And remember there is always something to learn from the people you meet along the way! This holistic approach to education is one of the many reasons I chose to attend UC Berkeley and I can say without a doubt that it has made me who I am today.