Laura West '10

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Pittsburgh, PA
Major at Wooster: Chemistry

I think the greatest asset of a Wooster education lies in the fact that Wooster is a place that nurtures creativity, ambition, and collaboration in an environment where students celebrate not only their own achievements but the achievements of their peers. The small classrooms and close relationships I developed with faculty while at Wooster were invaluable.

My Independent Study with Paul Edmiston was a life-changing experience. It challenged me and instilled in me a passion and love for research. I left Wooster with the skills of communication, analysis and writing, and with a desire to pursue and address academic challenges in an open-minded and creative way. I am currently a second year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

During the summer of 2011, I’ll conduct clinical research at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in the Department of Pediatric Cardiology and travel with a group of physicians to Haiti to work in a rural clinic. Ultimately, I am hoping to pursue an academic pediatric specialty. I would like my career to incorporate teaching, research, and clinical care.