by Madeline Park
Megan Rizer is a junior in the Biomedical Science program here at UCF. She is an active member of the Honors College, maintaining a 3.7 GPA, as well as the Honors Congress and The Pre-Professional Medical Society. She is a regular volunteer at the NICU in Florida Hospital and at Grace Medical Home, a not-for-profit free clinic in downtown Orlando. I had the chance to sit down and interview her about her methods of success.
You clearly have a long list of accomplishments, but this also means you have quite a few responsibilities. How do you manage your classwork, Honors work, and volunteer work, while also having a social life?
Megan: For me, it’s about writing everything down. I think a lot of college kids don’t understand how valuable keeping a handwritten planner really is. Having a full schedule I can see right in front of me for every day lets me know exactly what I have to do when I have to do it. Any time that is leftover, I have to catch up with friends and have fun.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
Megan: I would like to do a gap year abroad or through Americorps… something to do with helping underprivileged people gain access to medicine would be ideal, especially if I get to work with children. I’m going to use this year to apply to PA schools and Med schools. I would love to be pediatrician, but I am considering being a PA.
That sounds fantastic. How did you decide you wanted to be a pediatrician?
Megan: I love Biomedical Science. I love helping people. And I love kids. It wasn’t hard for me to figure out that being a pediatrician would be perfect for me.
If you could make any changes to your choices in your program thus far, what would they be?
Megan: I would probably pursue some of the research I’ve done for my classes more. I mean, I still have time left before I graduate so I can always go back and do that. The peers I know who have done undergraduate research are in perfect shape for med school.
What advice would you give to other UCF students interested in the medical field?
Megan: Volunteering has been a great experience for me that really confirmed what I want to do. It’s hard to get internships with no experience in this field, so I recommend volunteering whenever you have the opportunity. I have made friends and connections through my experiences as well as practical knowledge about the field.
I would like to say thanks to Megan Rizer for allowing me to conduct this interview. Even though I am a liberal arts major, her responses served as valuable advice. Megan is a perfect example of an outstanding student and gives great advice about how to be outstanding.
