Could you tell us a little bit about your educational background?

I graduated from UC Irvine in 2021 with a BS in Biological Sciences.

What first got you interested in the healthcare field as a career choice? There are a lot of career options in the field -nursing, physician assistant, etc., what made you decide that genetic counseling was the right practice area/career choice for you?

When considering future careers when I was younger, I was drawn to the idea of integrating mental health counseling more routinely into medical care. When I found out about genetic counseling, I knew that it was the right facet of medicine to enter into with my goal in mind.

What type of obstacles have you had to overcome on the road to getting your education and in particular in pursuing your Genetic Counseling degree?

A large obstacle I’ve had to overcome on the road to my Genetic Counseling degree would be learning how to take care of my mental health while in school. I experienced a bad case of burn out in my time as an undergraduate and thought that I’d never be able to have a healthy school-life balance. After a lot of reflection and self-work, I found ways to both be a good student while also taking time to do things in my personal life that bring me happiness. I am definitely not perfect, but I am in a much better place than I used to be!

What are you most looking forward to about beginning your Genetic Counseling studies?

I am most looking forward to learning from experts in my field and networking with fellow genetic counselors in training.

What is one fun and interesting fact about you?

I love women’s health and am training to become a birth doula!