How to Submit the Perfect Primary Application

Nate is a student at the USC Keck/Caltech MD-PhD Program, having completed the preclinical years of his medical education, and is beginning his first year of the USC Neurosciences Graduate Program with interest in functional neuroimaging. He graduated magna cum laude in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Health Promotion and a Master’s of Science in Global Medicines as a Trustee Scholar, having received a full-ride merit scholarship to attend USC. During his gap year, he worked as a clinical research coordinator at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in endocrinology and neonatology. He is strongly interested in a career in a pediatric subspecialty. Since beginning medical school, he has served three years on the Evaluations and Selections committee and one year on the Admissions and Recruitment committee. Additionally, he has held several leadership roles at the medical school, including Student Body President, and served on the board of the LGBTQ+ medical student interest group. During his medical school tenure, he participated in the NIH-funded USC/CHLA Summer Oncology Research Fellowship and was recognized as a UH Guild-Darlene Dufau Reid Endowed Scholar for his future potential in the field of oncology. He has acted formally and informally as a mentor to dozens of students interested in STEM and the pre-health fields since his undergraduate.

Ruchi is an MD/PhD candidate at the Yale School of Medicine. Ruchi is originally from Houston and graduated from Rice University with a degree in Chemistry with Distinction in Research and Creative Works. During her time at Rice, Ruchi was awarded several scholarships, research fellowships, and the highest recognition of undergraduate academic achievement by the Chemistry department. She served as the Editor in Chief of the Catalyst Undergraduate Research Journal, the President of Pancakes for Parkinson’s, and founded and led Rice’s chapter of the American Physician Scientists Association. She was actively involved in research at both McGovern Medical School and Rice University, and her work has culminated in multiple publications and poster presentations at national conferences.