My experiences as a Black woman and a first-generation college student taught me the importance of following your dreams in the face of adversity. That understanding fostered a strong sense of empathy, compassion, self-awareness, and the responsibility to help those not prioritized by society. As a black pre-med student, I often navigated the road to medicine alone, and during my undergraduate career I also faced challenges that negatively impacted my academic progress. It is very difficult to become something you have not seen. It’s even more difficult when your path is not straight forward. After searching through several graduate programs geared toward preparing students for medical school, I applied to Tulane Master of Science in Pharmacology Program. It was the best decision I could have made for my academic career. During our first day of classes, Dr. Katakam set the tone for my time at Tulane. He said to my cohort, “Your dreams are now our dreams.” At that moment, I knew I had made the right choice. Every day when I showed up at class, I knew that my professors were as committed to my success as I was. Drs. Katakam and Lindsey served as mentors throughout the program and after graduation. Dr. Katakam served as a constant source of encouragement and reassurance while I studied for the MCAT. Dr. Lindsey’s continued support also allowed me to advance my research skills. With her help, I was accepted into the MD Anderson’s First-Year Medical Student Program, a 10-week summer research program, where I investigated TP53’s ability to augment the sensitivity of CA125 in the early detection of ovarian cancer. The Tulane Master of Science in Pharmacology Program not only helped strengthen my academic record to be more competitive for medical school admission, but it also prepared me to succeed once accepted. The Masters in Pharmacology Program provided a solid foundation for my preclinical coursework and put me one step closer to my goal of becoming a gynecologic oncologist. I am forever grateful for the pharmacology faculty. They believed in me and provided me with an opportunity that has changed my life

 

 

I showed up at the library three hours late that day. The plan was to study for the GRE and apply for a graduate school program after a failed medical school application cycle. Little did I know I was about to have a conversation that would change my life. Lauren told me she had just completed an MS in Pharmacology at Tulane University School of Medicine that had been revolutionary for her. She shared how many members of her cohort had aspirations for professional school but needed some help sharpening their academic prowess and learning how to tell their stories. They sounded a lot like me. I looked into the program and saw that the application was due in three days. So with my last bit of hope, I quickly sent emails, made phone calls, and wrote as passionately as I knew how. A week later, I received my letter of acceptance, and three weeks later, I moved to New Orleans to start an adventure that would mark my life forever. After attending a large state university, this was my first time in a graduate learning environment where every faculty member knew my name. Every professor and even the administrators had a vested interest in helping us achieve our goals. They knew we had challenges, and with their years of experience, they showed us how to overcome each one. As a result, I learned how to read and critically evaluate scientific literature, and many MCAT concepts like biochemistry and physiology that had seemed so nebulous came to life within clinical contexts. Before we graduated, our leadership helped us put together strong applications to reach our desired end. This program gave me an academic foundation and confidence reset that I built my medical education upon. Our professors believed in us, which gave us the courage to believe in ourselves. Five years and a #1 choice internal medicine residency match later, I have had ample time to reflect on my journey and all the people who helped me reach this point. I would not have been able to endure the challenges I faced in medical school without the lifetime friends and mentors I met and the skills I developed during this program. Thank you to the Pharmacology Department for investing in me; I will pay it forward and hope to continue to make you all pro.

 

I was removed from my mother’s home at a young age and placed in the custody of my baby sitter and her husband, who became my permanent guardians. Their selflessness and sacrifices are a large part of who I am today, but due to their situation, they weren’t able to provide academic support or extracurricular experiences. I grew up in a low-income area outside Birmingham, AL that was home to failing school systems, and I was one of only a few of my peers to attend college. As a first-generation college student, my undergraduate career was challenging, and I could have performed better academically. However, I earned my bachelor’s degree with a formative passion for medicine. My spot in Tulane’s Master of Science in Pharmacology program was a chance to prove to myself and medical school programs that I could succeed in medical school. At Tulane, it was an honor to learn under incredible mentors like Drs. Katakam and Clarkson in an institution dedicated to serving its community. The program’s robust curriculum provided me with an opportunity to expand my knowledge, redefine my learning style, and become empowered to take my own initiative for academic growth. It also offered me an opportunity to experience a city that was vastly different from my own, but in some ways remarkably similar. The pharmacological knowledge that I gained through the program will be foundational in furthering my medical education. I have been accepted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, and I am confident that the Pharmacology master’s program enhanced my scientific preparation and was a major deciding factor for schools offering me interviews. The Tulane Master of Science in Pharmacology program gave me the tools to succeed, both in medicine and in life. I will cherish the lifelong relationships that I made through the program. I am incredibly grateful for Pharmacology’s decision to invest in me, and I look forward to seeing the future cohorts that Tulane’s Master of Science in Pharmacology shapes into excellent future clinicians.

 

 

 

My Master's of Pharmacology degree from Tulane University allowed me to start leaps and bounds ahead when starting medical school. It was one of the most important years of my life. I met numerous career mentors as well as my loving wife, a fellow student of pharmacology. Following my undergraduate studies in Helena, Montana, I was searching for a way to put my biology degree to work. While working at a local psychiatric hospital, I received an e-mail regarding the Master's of Pharmacology program at Tulane University. My decision to apply led me down a path which allowed me to grow, learn, and apply knowledge in a highly effective way. This made my time studying for medical school significantly more effective allowing me to score extremely high on my medical board exams while simultaneously starting a family with my wife. The pharmacological knowledge gained from the master's program proved to have broad applicability throughout medical school and well into my residency. Following my wonderful experience at Tulane University, I traveled to Brisbane, Australia where I studied medicine as part of the University of Queensland - Ochsner Clinical School. Following graduation, I stayed in New Orleans to pursue a residency in Internal Medicine at Ochsner Health Systems. I'm extremely grateful for the experiences, opportunities, education, and friendships provided to me during my time in the Tulane Master's of Pharmacology program.