Sarah Maggipinto

Sarah Maggipinto, Current MD/PhD Candidate

BU Major & Graduation Date:

Biomedical Engineering with a Concentration in Nanotechnology, Kilachand Honors College (May 2020)

 

Current School and Year:

University of Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD), First year medical student

 

Preferred Pronouns:

She/Her

 

Hometown:

Middletown, NJ

 

What school are you attending and what you are studying? Why did you choose to apply to this school? What do you think makes your school unique?

University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine, Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD joint degree program).

I chose to apply to this school because of its recognized Medical Scientist Training Program, the extracurricular programs the school offers, and the school’s location in a major city.

 

Is there a specialization and/or specific population you are interested in? Why? How did you get into it and/or learn more about it?

I am still undecided on what medical specialty I would like to pursue. However, during my first year at UIC I have been able to shadow and complete workshops for a number of different specialties. I am currently looking to explore my interest further in the fields of Interventional Radiology, Anesthesiology, and Orthopedic Surgery. 

 

What are one or two of your favorite experiences/activities and why?

I am a part of the Patient-centered Medicine Scholars (PCM) Program at UIC and I have also joined the Chicago Street Medicine student group at UIC. In the PCM program, I have been able to gain additional experience in patient care as a first year medical student. As a member of the Chicago Street Medicine group, I will be working with other medical students and physicians to provide medical care to underserved communities in Chicago.

 

Did you take any gap years?

I took two gap years after graduating BU before I started medical school. I worked for two years as a research technician at the Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. During this time, I was also volunteering as a member of the Boston chapter of the Medical Reserve Corps.

 

What was your favorite BU course and why?

I really enjoyed the biomedical engineering electives I took at BU, especially ENG EK 481: Introduction to Nanotechnology and ENG BE 527: Principles and Applications of Tissue Engineering. I enjoyed these courses because they focused on the real-life applications of the principles learned during the course.

 

Were you involved in any clubs/groups at BU?

I played the trumpet in the BU Pep Band for four years. I was able to play as a member of the band at a multitude of men’s and women’s hockey and basketball games during my time in the Pep Band. I was also a member of the BU Red Cross chapter for four years, and served as volunteer coordinator of the club for two years. As the volunteer coordinator, I enjoyed organizing and leading events at the Boston Red Cross Food Pantry and the New England Center and Home for Veterans, as well as volunteering with the club as a medical volunteer at the Boston Marathon races.

 

Have you always known you wanted to be a physician-scientist? What/who has been your biggest inspiration?

I have known since the end of high school that I was interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Right as I started college at BU, I knew that I wanted to become a physician scientist by obtaining a MD/PhD joint degree. I have been very lucky to have wonderful mentors before, after, and during my time at BU, who have all helped me tremendously on my journey to applying to and attending medical school.

 

What resource at BU did you find most helpful or want to spotlight that others might not know about?

I found the Pre-Professional Advising Office at BU to be very helpful. I met with an advisor in the office at least once every semester to discuss my schedule, plans for taking a gap year, and the process of applying to medical school. In addition, I attended many of the information sessions offered by the advising office for pre-med students, all of which I found to be extremely helpful.

 

What are your hobbies/What do you like to do for fun outside of the classroom?

I like to bike, kayak, bake, and I also continue to play the trumpet and piano.

 

Are there any tips/advice you would like to share with current pre-health students?

I would suggest to pre-health students that they start planning early for when they eventually apply to a medical professional school. Specifically, I would encourage students to focus not only on their classes and grades, but also on cultivating relationships with individuals who can write them strong letters of recommendation and to ensure that they also are involved in non-academic extracurricular activities. Overall, I would want all pre-health students to also focus on enjoying their time at BU!


Sarah was also a panelist in our last Gap Chat: Gap Year Q&A. Click here to watch the recording to learn more about her gap year experiences.