March Scholar of the Month: Antony shares finding support at University of Rochester being Premed.

Hello! I am Antony Alvarado, an aspiring physician and senior at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. I am from Wilmington, CA and come from a small family, so the thought of moving across the country for college seemed extreme four years ago, and one that no one expected. My college experience has been challenging but with the support of my mom and a handful of people on campus, I’ve been able to access the resources I’ve needed when I’ve needed them.

What have been the most rewarding activities/academics you participated in?

Some of the most rewarding experiences I have had while in college include shadowing doctors and finding a supportive Christian group on campus. Shadowing doctors in the clinic and the operating room is always exciting, especially when observing patients being treated for similar conditions that I have had because I understand what it is like to be the patient, but through shadowing I could tease apart the decision-making process of the physicians, whether that be before or after the consult. College, especially at a research focused school like UofR, can be quite secularized, but I was thankful to have found the Agape Christian Fellowship in my first few days on campus, at an activities fair, and the people I have met through ACF have been there throughout college as an anchor to my faith.

Tell us about an unexpected turn during undergrad.

During my first semester I registered for a sculpture course, really just to fill out my schedule, without adding another STEM/reading heavy class. That class was pivotal to my college experience, because the arts were a way for me to cope/distract my mind from the intellectual constraints of lectures and create art pieces that were of interest to me. Long story short, through sculpture, I discovered photography, and have created a handful of sculptures and photo collections that allow me to express the emotional roller coaster experienced by cancer patients, using my personal archive since my own diagnosis as well as photographing patients at the University medical center.

What is some advice you have for incoming freshmen/underclassmen to help them navigate their college experience?

Academically, get connected with your institution's first generation and minority student offices. The first gen office, The Kearn’s Center, at UofR helped me hit the ground running and excel in my academics my freshmen & sophomore years by providing textbook lending programs and most importantly free group tutoring for my intro and intermediate biology and chemistry courses. The tutoring was held in small groups and really gave us a leg up in class, so much so that non-first gen students were trying to join our tutoring sessions because they realized that those of us in the study groups were some of the students doing the best in those courses.

Personally, keep in contact with your family as best as you can. My mom and I have made it a point throughout college to talk at least once a day, though we usually talk about 4-5 times throughout the day, and I would say that even though I’ve been away at college, our relationship has grown stronger, and it’s something I cherish.

What are you most excited about for this semester?

This semester I am most excited to graduate and begin my medical school applications! My college experience has felt very short, especially considering the time I spent away from campus throughout the pandemic, so while its bittersweet, I look forward to landing my post-graduation job and being able to say that I have been admitted to medical school sometime in the coming year.