Student Experience: HU’s Biology Pre-Med Major
Becoming a doctor is no easy feat! As with many other career paths, the time dedication, organizational skills, and intelligence needed in this field are incredible. But before you become overwhelmed with the calling God has given you, Mica Allen has some insight! A senior at HU, Mica provides her own experience from HU’s Department of Biology and how being a biology pre-med major is a balance of hard work and well-deserved play.
1. Why did you choose to become a biology pre-med major?
“When I was 11 years old, I had an intense back surgery. During the surgery, there was a complication in my nerve sack in my spinal cord, and there was a potential that I was going to be paralyzed. I had a really good experience with a couple of nurses, and I wanted to make a difference in the medical field and to make people feel how the nurses who were nice made me feel.”
2. Where do you see yourself in the future after you earn your degree?
“I believe I will have my own practice and that I will be working in internal integrative medicine. This means combining elements of traditional medicine with holistic medicine. I am hoping to use God’s creation in the way that I treat people, which is using plants, herbs, and nature.”
3. How has the HU Department of Biology prepared you to pursue your goals?
“The HU Department of Biology is more than exceptional. The professors help guide students and teach them very well, but they also push students to learn on their own, which is the best way to learn. My advisor, Dr. Bruce Evans, has motivated me to pursue medical school and to not give up. The best part of the HU Department of Biology is that the professors got to know me, and they care about me and all of their students. This allows me to have greater appreciation and respect for my professors!”
4. What is your favorite memory from your experience in this major?
“This year we went on an overnight botany field trip to Michigan, and we canoed down the Jordan river, hiked the Sleeping Bear Dunes, and went to a bog in Kalkaska County. That was a great time with tons of laughter!”
5. What is one thing you wish people knew about the Department of Biology or your major in general?
“If you get to know your professors, ask questions, and put effort into your classwork, college will be the best experience ever. The professors are people, too: They have a sense of humor, and they want to help and see you succeed. Another pointer is to read before class! If you read, the information will make more sense, stick with you, and it will be easier to make connections!”
Like Mica said, HU is a special place because it provides well-versed professors within your field and also equips you to learn on your own. As Foresters, we want to remain curious, and the Department of Biology will push you to explore! For more information on the biology pre-med major, check out HU’s major information page.
