Name: Sarah Smith
Major: Medical Ethics
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Westchester, NY
Birthday: Sept. 26, 1993
What made you decide to make up your own major?
I traveled to El Salvador in high school on Medical Brigades [when you to go third world countries to practice medical care] and I witnessed a side of the medical field beyond pure sciences. I feel like to be a doctor, and to take on the responsibilities that come with being a doctor, I have to learn more about the ethical side of the medical field.
What classes does this major consist of?
I hand picked the curriculum, but it’s some gender studies, anthropology, sociology and philosophy classes, and then I chose to include a religious aspect so I’ll be taking a lot of religion classes.
How does the religious aspect fit in?
It fits in two ways. I think people’s religions inevitably shape who they are and how they feel about many controversial issues, including things related to the medical field, like abortion or euthanasia. I think it’s important to understand where people’s beliefs come from. I also want to stay open to alternative forms of medicine, and I think a lot of those happen to be religion-based, or at least understanding religion makes it easier to understand those forms of medicine.
What career do you want to pursue in the medical field?
I’m not sure. Something pediatric. I’d like to say oncology but I feel like you never really know.
Did you always know you wanted to be a doctor?
Ever since about junior year of high school when I traveled with the medical group to El Salvador and saw how much doctors can help, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. That experience was just really eye-opening. I realized how we take health care fore granted here in the U.S., and without health care you can lose a child to something like dehydration, which for us would be a lot less likely to happen. No one should have to lose a child to something like that, but in countries that lack health care and accessibility to health care, the ways you can lose someone or what your family has to endure increase. Also, we were told in El Salvador that if you have go to see the doctor and you live in a rural town, you take like your life savings to get transportation into El Salvador and there is no guarantee the doctor will even see you that day.
What are you involved with on campus?
I’m in Kappa Kappa Gamma, I’m in the premed fraternity Phi Delta Epsilon, and I do a religious-based internship for CEC.
Do you want to pursue medicine in the international realm?
My dream is to settle into a professional life in the United States but also travel and get involved with global health organizations.