This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Vanderbilt chapter.
Name: Rachel Bartleson
Hometown: Nishotah, WI
Major/Minor: MHS/Spanish (pre-med)
Campus Involvement: Greek Life, Vanderbilt Cheerleading Team, work in a research lab at the VUMC, LIFE Project, SIM board
How did you start doing research at the VUMC?
I sent out a lot of emails to labs I was interested in and set up several interviews and picked the one that best fit me. I’m really excited to be doing cardiovascular research! That was the topic in which I was most interested in and I clicked really well with the PI in charge of this lab and wanted to spend more time working with her. Also, she was a woman in science and that was really empowering.
What’s it like to be a college cheerleader?
It’s really fun to be involved in the athletics part of campus and to be an ambassador for your school. I get to build some really cool relationships with people and I get to travel all over the country to perform at different sporting events. Also, I get a lot of free food.
What advice do you have for pre-med students?
Keep your eyes on the prize. Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons because if you are, it will be worth it. If not, you’ll hate your life.
What’s your favorite part about going to Vanderbilt?
I love Nashville and living in the city! There are soo many restaurants and concerts and different things going on.