Guadalupe Gomez
Inglewood, California
Gomez spent two summers in the Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) at Drexel University, which is designed to help minority students go into medical research careers.
Through PSTP, Gomez spent two summers conducting scientific research on HIV prevention for women at Drexel University College of Medicine in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. The program also gave her the opportunity to shadow doctors at Temple University Hospital and exposed her to the idea of pursuing an MD/PhD.
Gomez gained valuable experience while working in the laboratory. “Not only did I live in a dormitory at age 14 and was forced to manage myself, but I also learned how to converse with my mentor, and to this day I still keep in touch with the people in my laboratory,” she says. Her mentor invited her to participate in the annual Drexel Discovery Day poster sessions in 2007 and 2008, and Gomez won honorable mention both years.
Gomez also worked at UCLA Medical School in the summer of 2009 conducting research through focus groups, and was a member of her high school’s Biomed Club, which met weekly to discuss topics in science or medicine. Gomez has joined the Pre-Health Society at Haverford and hopes to volunteer with local hospitals. She plans on becoming a pediatrician and continuing microbiology research.