Name: Julia R.

From: Johnston, Rhode Island

I fell in love with the University of Connecticut when I visited for an open house. I decided to participate in UConn’s Pre-College Summer program to learn more about Medicine and familiarize myself with UConn.  I decided to take part in the Pre Med: Exploring the Medical Field Program because I was confident I wanted to become a doctor, but was not exactly sure what type of doctor I wanted to be. Although I remain open-minded about my future in the medical field, UConn’s Pre-College Summer program helped me reassure myself that medicine is the right career path for me.

A typical day at UConn’s Pre-College Summer program consisted of waking up early and having breakfast in the dining hall. My group then got onto a bus and went off to the UConn John Dempsey Hospital, where we talked to doctors and learned about the variety of professions that one can obtain following Medical School. We then returned to the UConn main campus and had dinner. The rest of the night consisted of activities such as Zumba, yoga, painting, and face masks. There was also free time at night, which was an opportunity to make new friends and bond with others.

My advice is to open up and truly be yourself. For me, I knew no one at the start of the program. When I left, the case was much different because I had made strong friendships throughout the week. I was with the same group of people for a majority of the time and we all became very close. Do not be afraid to be yourself. This camp taught me to accept others for who they are and helped to build up my self-confidence because others were accepting of me.