Pre-Health

What made you choose Lake Forest College?

I chose LFC because I knew I wanted to go to a small school where I would be able to have personal relationships with my professors. I felt like LFC had the environment I would need to succeed in and I also liked it’s location and the financial aid I received. 

How did a liberal arts education make a difference for you?

I wasn’t entirely sure of what I wanted to do when I was deciding on what college I went to, so I liked that a liberal arts education would give me the option to explore different interests. I had been studying Mandarin for a few years, so going to a school where I knew I would be able to continue learning the language was important to me, especially since I knew I wanted to work in the health care field. 

What experiences outside of the classroom do you think helped prepare you for DPT at RFU?

After my freshman year of college, I was able to do research at RFU’s immunology labs thanks to the LFC-RFUM summer science fellows program. There, I realized that I wouldn’t like to do lab research as a career. However, it was during this time that I was able to explore RFU’s campus more. I was able to shadow DPT students in their anatomy lab and as they treated patients in their community clinic. While there, I learned that they were in need of volunteer interpreters to help at the clinic and was able to get involved in that role for the rest of the time I was at LFC. That experience helped me realize that becoming a physical therapist is what I really wanted to do. I decided to study abroad in Costa Rica during my junior year, and completed a research project related to physical therapy there. In general, these vital experiences I had outside the classroom while at LFC allowed me to explore the field I was interested in and develop a framework for the classes I am taking now in my DPT program.   

How did your time at Lake Forest help you prepare to apply to DPT programs?

I was able to maximize the opportunities I was given at LFC so that when it was time to apply to DPT programs, I had unique experiences related to physical therapy that I feel other students didn’t have. My career advancement counselor was also helpful even after I graduated and during the time that I was applying to programs. When I was offered an interview at RFU, I returned to campus for a mock interview and valuable feedback from my CAC as part of my preparation. 

What advice would you give a high school student looking to pursue pre-health and is considering Lake Forest College?

If I were to give advice to a high school student looking to pursue pre-health, I would encourage them to an undergrad that offers opportunities for you to explore the field you are interested in. Pursuing a career in health care usually requires a large investment of your time and money so it’s important that you are passionate about what you want your career to be. There are a lot of great health care fields you have the opportunity to explore, so I suggest you do just that. Take the time to use your college years to shadow and try not to have your mind set on one specific field right away.