Arjun Ram is a mathematics and computational biology enthusiast. With the ultimate goal of being a doctor, he majors in Biology and Applied Biology at the University of Washington. As a senior, he is currently (has been) preparing and planning for the “real world.” Through his past experience being a student at UW, there is some advice that he would like to share as a pre-med student:
1. Resources
“UW is a great school for research.” He emphasizes how many resources that you can reach out as an undergraduate, starting from UW Medicine, the Department of Surgery and Seattle Children’s hospital. He was also a vice president of Alpha Epsilon Delta, which is the Premedical Honor Society. He said that it was one of his best decisions since the community has provided him the resources that he needed to apply to medical school and allows him to make a connection with people who are also passionate about medicine.
2. Learning
“You Should Come to Class With an Open Mind”
Coming to UW, he was sure that he wanted to do medicine but he was not sure of the major that he should take. He wished that he was more prepared about the major that he wanted to do and be aware of all the resources that UW offers. However, he always wanted learning to follow his passion, that is why he always made sure that what he studied helped him toward what he really wanted to do. He took drama classes in his freshman year and realized that it was not for him so he started looking towards more computer science and mathematics. From there he discovered what he truly wanted to do. He insists on working hard and staying determined.
3. Get Connected
He shared how college is not only about learning but also networking with different professors, classmates, and people to gain the most of the college experience. He emphasized how college is the place to build networking skills and to get involvde in many activities to meet different people. Arjun also has been an active member of Indian Student Association and an intern at UW medicine and Seattle’s Children. He recommends checking out Husky Jobs and Working Night Opportunities to get involved in working and research opportunities.
4. Friends
“Don’t be afraid to say “hi” to other people. Form study groups and join clubs.” He insisted how people can be very friendly; so do not be scared to initiate the first conversation. His advice to anyone who ever feels out of place is that he was once, too, feeling the same way because he grew up in a different country but joining clubs with the same cultural background or smaller clubs based on your interests can make you feel the sense of a place and belonging.
His college experience at UW has helped him to thrive. Not only the knowledge that he gained from class but also the knowledge he gained from outside class such interacting with other people and being involved in various activities has inspired and taught him how to navigate life while working in the real world.
“College is an interesting part of your life; just make the most of it.”