2014 Major: Evolutionary Anthropology; minor in Biology

Currently: Student, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine — Roanoke, Virginia

How has being an Evolutionary Anthropology graduate from Duke helped shape your professional success?

"As a student, I loved evolutionary anthropology because it was a small department that had ample research opportunities. I was able to work on humans or close relatives of humans to deepen my understanding of biological principles and prepare for medical school. The faculty is fantastic! Since we were a small group, students were able to develop good relationships with professors and get to know them both professionally and personally. I had friends in other departments whose teachers or research mentors didn't know their name. Mine knew my name, my interests and were more than willing to help me accomplish my undergraduate (and graduate) goals.

"Following Duke, EvAnth has always been a great conversation starter. It is so easy to stand out from the many biology majors when applying to research positions or medical school. During orientation at my medical school, the dean of the school even made a comment that evolutionary anthropology (and astrophysics) were incredibly interesting backgrounds that added great richness to our class."

What advice would you give students in Evolutionary Anthropology?

"Do research! Duke's EvAnth department provides unparalleled research opportunities. I know a lot of departments say that, but I can honestly say that its access to resources and opportunities to publish as an undergrad is rare. This has been unbelievably helpful in my development as a scientist and my application to medical school."