From an early age, senior Catherine Zhu has been drawn to science and the human body, a fascination which has led her down the healthcare path. This set her on a route that would eventually earn her a spot in the early acceptance program for osteopathic medicine at Lake Erie College.
Zhu is participating in a combined undergraduate and medical degree program which will lead to a Bachelor of Science (BS) from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from Lake Erie College. This comes with many benefits, including not having to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and the opportunity to graduate debt-free.
“It was a tough decision, especially with the financial offers from other schools, but the chance to have a [medical] school seat waiting for me made it an easy choice,” Zhu said.
Zhu’s interest in the medical field began early in middle school. According to Zhu, she specifically remembers being fascinated by anatomy and physiology, which intensified when she took the class based on those subjects in high school. Another important moment in her journey was when she joined Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), an organization created for those interested in learning about different healthcare professions.
“HOSA definitely played a role [in] getting to know different networking opportunities and learning about different healthcare occupations. I competed in CPR, first aid, and I traveled to compete at these events,” Zhu said.
Outside of HOSA, Zhu’s real-world exposure to healthcare consists of volunteering at Emerson Hospital for her senior capstone project. Zhu has received hands-on experience in the hospital environment by helping out with discharges, working in patient transportation, and having face-to-face interactions with the resident doctors and patients at the hospital. Due to this experience, Zhu’s desire to pursue healthcare has solidified, and her interest in the field has deepened.
Another factor that played a role in Zhu’s interest was her mother’s influence. Zhu’s mother is a pharmacy technician, and Zhu was inspired by her mother’s work-life balance. Her mother’s resilience and influence taught Zhu to prioritize her home life, as well as her academics and extracurriculars.
While Zhu was busy with her academics over her high school years, she also participated in diverse extracurricular activities and leadership roles. On top of keeping up with her academic duties, Zhu teaches taekwondo and holds a leadership position as co-captain of the WA Speech and Debate team.
Additionally, she is the head of the HOSA Middle School Committee, which is a separate program that provides guidance to students from sixth to eighth grade who are interested in healthcare professions. When participating in all of these activities, Zhu’s focus has always been on doing what she loved, rather than meeting the standards for college applications.
Outside of leadership positions, Zhu has volunteered within her community, worked as a waitress, and volunteered at her church.
“I did a lot of different things, but the most important thing was that I was genuinely passionate about all of them,” Zhu said. “Colleges can tell when you’re just doing things to fill a resume. I wanted my experiences to be authentic.”
Zhu’s success did not come without its obstacles. She has faced struggles with mental health and the stress of maintaining high academic standards, especially while working through challenging courses. However, she persevered and found the ability to balance her mental health by incorporating things she loved to do in order to steer through the highs and lows of high school.
“Mental health is crucial. I struggled with it, and it definitely impacted my grades during sophomore year, but taking care of my mental health became a priority as I moved forward,” Zhu said.
Zhu is excited to start the next chapter of her life. From early interests in science, to her commitment to osteopathic medicine, Zhu believes that the journey to college isn’t about intelligence, but is rather about caring for others and maintaining a healthy balance along the way.
