Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Psychology
How did you decide on your major?
I didn’t decide on majoring in biology in a classroom, it came from spending time in hospitals. For four years, I worked with underserved pediatric oncology patients at Access Life Cancer Home in Mumbai. I wasn’t just observing, I was sitting with kids through long treatment days, helping distract them, talking to families, and seeing what illness actually looks like beyond textbooks. At some point, I realized I didn’t just want to witness that world, I wanted to understand it. Biology became less about memorizing pathways and more about asking: what’s actually happening inside the body, and how can we do better? That question is what led me here.
What is it about your chosen field (and the department) that appeals to you?
What I’ve really appreciated about Rutgers is that biology doesn’t feel boxed into lectures, it’s everywhere. I can be in class learning a concept, then see a version of it play out in the Emergency Department at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where I volunteer, or connect it to something I’ve seen during my time working as a Medical and Dental Assistant. That overlap makes the material feel less abstract and more relevant. The great part is I was introduced to a lot of these opportunities through Rutgers! I also appreciate that the department gives you room to explore within the field while still building a strong foundation. It doesn’t feel restrictive, which made it easier for me to fully commit to medicine while still understanding different areas of healthcare along the way.
Do you have favorite class/professor within your major?
General Biology stands out to me because it changed how I approach learning. Instead of trying to keep up with memorizing content, it pushed me to slow down and actually understand how things fit together. Once I started thinking that way, everything felt a lot less disconnected and much easier to build on. I also appreciated how the course was structured. The workshops, where we worked through concepts in groups, built out ideas visually, and had to explain our reasoning, along with practice groups made it much more engaging. You couldn’t really get away with passively sitting through it, and that made a big difference in how well the material stuck. It’s one of the few classes where I felt like I was actively learning the whole time, not just preparing for an exam.
What are your favorite academic experiences outside of your major?
One of my favorite experiences has been teaching. As a Health and Medicine First Year Interest Group Seminar (FIGS) Peer Instructor, I run an accredited course for first-year students exploring healthcare careers. Standing on the other side of the classroom made me realize how much I’ve learned, not just academically, but in how to think, communicate, and guide others who are just starting out. It’s also made me more confident in my own path, because I’m constantly reflecting on it while helping others build theirs .Another experience that’s been really meaningful is working as a Peer Reviewer for the Rutgers Undergraduate Research Journal. It’s the university’s esteemed and only undergraduate academic journal, and I review research across disciplines, which has given me a different perspective on how scientific work is evaluated and communicated. It’s made me more attentive to detail and more thoughtful about how research is presented, which has definitely influenced how I approach my own work. I also had the opportunity to take part in a clinical oncology internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering, where I spent time observing patient cases, tumor boards, and treatment discussions. Being in that environment showed me how much thought and nuance goes into each decision, and how many perspectives are involved in caring for a single patient.
What are your other Rutgers activities?
A lot of what I do at Rutgers still comes back to working with people. In the Emergency Department at RWJ, I help support patient care and hospital flow, which has shown me how dynamic and fast-paced that environment is. Through the RU TEACH club, I work with hospitalized children, adapting STEM activities so they’re engaging and accessible even in a hospital setting. I also mentor neurodiverse students through the Center for Adult Autism Services. Alongside that, I’m involved in the SEBS Governing Council, where I represent Biological Sciences majors and help plan events and initiatives for students. Each of these spaces is different, but they all remind me why I chose this field in the first place.
What are your plans following graduation?
I plan to pursue medicine. A lot of that decision comes from the environments I’ve been part of, especially oncology and hospital settings, where I’ve seen how much small interactions, consistency, and understanding can affect someone’s experience. I’m still figuring out exactly where within medicine I see myself, but I know I want to be in a role where I’m directly working with patients and continuing to learn from the people I work with. At the same time, I hope to continue being involved in research, since I’ve come to really value how it shapes the way we understand and improve patient care.