I was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, and spent much of my youth traveling and exploring other cultures. Coming from Filipino heritage and visiting the Philippines over the years has allowed me to gain appreciation of quality of life and has provided me with initiative to study about community and culture. In addition, my interests in healthcare have inspired me to study Language and International Health at Clemson University so I can learn more about global health and Spanish/ Hispanic language and culture. While at Clemson, I have taken classes in public health, Spanish language and culture, sciences, and humanities. After graduation in May 2025, I look forward to attending medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina. In the future, I hope to combine my work as a physician with global health, so that I can promote health and serve in different parts of the United States and internationally.

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In addition to studying at Clemson, I have had the opportunity to expand my cultural horizons by studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain during my sophomore Spring semester. In search of total immersion, I resided with Susana, a native Spaniard, engaging in daily conversations. Through authentic interactions, my fluency increased exponentially. My time abroad was both a linguistic journey and a time of personal and cultural growth. It was my first experience living abroad, so I took advantage by exploring eleven different countries. Through this, I forged traits essential to my future in medicine: resilience and adaptability. Each challenge grew my ability to navigate uncertainty, a skill critical in healthcare, where no two cases are alike, and unforeseen challenges are common.

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​ During my semester abroad, I interned for four months at Clínica Santa Isabel, a private hospital in Sevilla, Spain. Shadowing physicians and nurses across various specialties, I was particularly drawn to hematology and surgery. While assisting with drawing blood, I discovered my passion for patient care, connecting with them through shared conversations about my Spanish studies. The operating room offered a window into a variety of procedures, from orthopedic surgeries to hernia repairs and septoplasties. Witnessing these firsthand, I learned from the skilled doctors who generously shared their knowledge.

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To further enhance my clinical experience, I worked as a medical assistant at Charleston ENT. My experience at Charleston ENT began as a patient of Dr. McNellis, discussing a potential septoplasty.  After learning that I had an interest in healthcare, Dr. McNellis offered me the opportunity to shadow him in the clinic and operating room. Two summers later, I worked in the clinic as a medical assistant extern, aiding physicians in clinical procedures and rooming patients. At Charleston ENT, I experienced full-circle healthcare: transitioning from a patient to shadowing physicians and eventually working in the clinic. As the point of initial contact, I collected information about patients’ concerns, vitals, and medical history to communicate to the attending physicians. When doctors proceeded with in-clinic procedures, I assisted them in retrieving the necessary instruments for that procedure. My positive experiences at Charleston ENT, both as a patient and as an employee, instilled a sense of trust that ultimately led me to proceed with the surgery I initially sought. The compassion and carefulness of the doctors have guided my aspirations to cultivate similar levels of care and attentiveness in my future interactions with patients.

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​ I have also gained experience in the field of biomedical research by joining Dr. Morris’ lab in Clemson’s Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center. Our lab studies Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of the African Sleeping Sickness. My current project focuses on determining the substrate for mitochondrial lysine methyltransferase. This project enhances my practical laboratory techniques and allows me to blend classroom knowledge with real-world experimentation. Through my time in this lab, I have learned about the meticulous research process and the impact of research in developing cures against pathogens.

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I encourage you to read more about my experiences abroad, clinical work, volunteer opportunities and Clemson University coursework in the tabs above.