Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences at Rocky Vista University (MSBS)

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MSBS STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS

Samantha(Sam) Williams - MSBS Student Spotlight October 2023

Samantha Williams

MSBS Class 2024
Utah Campus

Where is your hometown?
Bandera

Undergraduate studies:
Bachelors of Science in Emergency Health Sciences

What clubs and activities are you currently involved with?
Various Volunteer Activities

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am from Bandera, a small town in the Hill Country of South Texas. We are known as the "Cowboy Capital of the World.” My parents still currently reside there; my younger and older brothers have moved on to other places. I joined the Future Farmers of America and 4-H in school and participated in a lot of different activities, from horse and livestock judging competitions, livestock shows (sheep, goats, rabbits), as well as numerous volunteer activities. I wanted to become a veterinarian and began college with that goal, but wasn’t prepared to do the hard work to succeed there. I enlisted in the Army and almost completed Basic twice, but was separated due to a foot injury. At that point, I was unsure about what to do next, but had heard about a free Emergency Medical Technician-Basic class and decided to take a chance on it. I am so grateful I did! I have been able to give back to the community that helped raise me and which I dearly love. My 12 years as a Paramedic is what pushed me to want to become a doctor and what ultimately led me to RVU.

What initially brought you to RVU? Why did you decide to pursue this degree?
I was on a road that seemed to just keep going around in a large circle—what I like to refer of as the toilet bowl flush. I had applied to several medical schools and had just received the dismal results of my fourth MCAT. Plus, getting the “We’re sorry to inform you…”, “Try again next year…” rejection letters were the kicks that kept on coming. I knew I wanted to become a doctor, but if I couldn’t even get past the MCAT, what more could I do? I was visiting with my medical director while on a 48-hour shift at our EMS station when she asked me about applying to Master’s degree programs. I was completely unaware of these and began to research options. I found several programs that interested me and applied to all of them. Happily, I was accepted into each one! Then it became time to narrow down the choices. When I initially contacted RVU-UT, I was put in touch with the Utah Program Coodinator. She was amazing and went out of her way to encourage me, as well as to be helpful to me. I did a campus visit and that convinced me RVU was the right place for me. Additionally, the pipeline opportunity associated with the College of Medicine made the idea of medical school more achievable.

What do you enjoy doing when not at RVU (family life, interests and hobbies)?
Coming here from Texas without family in the area has been an interesting journey for sure! I have come to enjoy walking, seeing the amazing landscapes, finding a church community, and participating in various workout activities, including sound therapy and yin yoga.

What is an interesting or little known fact about you:
I am a MIXXED Fit certified dance instructor. I have also participated in the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range in NM several times (truly a very humbling experience).

What is the best piece of advice you have been given by a professor or student while at RVU?
There are actually a few things I want to share:
1. Structure = Function.
2. Remember you still have to eat all your pancakes. Do you want to eat them all at once or a couple at a time?
3. Find balance and enjoy the journey. This is a marathon not a sprint.
4. Come to Utah!

What are your medical interests?
After working over 12 years as a paramedic in my rural community, I know I want to be a doctor providing care to underserved areas/populations in rural environments. I see myself working in both emergency and family medicine.

What is a favorite memory you have from being in RVU?
I have a couple of favorite memories. First, waking up in this incredible, awe-inspiring environment—the majesty of nature. It is so very different from my home in TX! Also, the bonds that have started forming within our cohort, and some of the best laughs.

What advice do you have for prospective students?
If you’re one of the ones like me who has been told “NO” so many times that you almost give up on your dream, realize it is possible! You just have to take a step and burn your boat—the only way to move is forward. This program is challenging, and at times can be incredibly stressful. However, it will be very rewarding as long as you put in the time to be successful. Know that this program is designed to help you succeed. The faculty and staff have truly been amazing and will try to move mountains to ensure you do well. At RVU, you are more than a number on a piece of paper or a dollar sign in the bank. I am so grateful to be here. I can’t even fathom where I would be if this program hadn’t come into my life.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Understand that if this was easy, everyone would do it. There are times that you will end up emotionally exhausted and wonder if this is truly what you should be doing. It is critical to know and understand your “Why?” of it all. This is such a long process and it is physically and mentally exhausting. While each person’s reason for coming may be different, I believe fundamentally we have the same goal — to leave the world better than we found it. What better way to do this than by helping your fellow man?

Mercedes Castillo

MSBS Class 2023
Utah Campus

Where is your hometown?
Huntington Park

Undergraduate studies:
Bachelors of Science in Biological Sciences

What clubs and activities are you currently involved with?
American Woman's Medical Association, Latinx Club, Neuropsych Club

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Prior to moving out to Ivins, or "Mars" as some of us have lovingly dubbed it due to the vibrant coat of red sand around Rocky Vista University's Utah campus, I'd lived in Southern California the entirety of my life. I got my Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at the University of California Riverside. While there, I got the opportunity to attend free clinics situated in Tecate, Mexico, organized by a club called "Flying Samaritans". I functioned as a volunteer Spanish-English translator for our volunteer physicians to communicate with their patients and vice versa. Prior to UCR, I attended community college in East Los Angeles where I also volunteered at the LAC+USC Hospital emergency department. I've wanted to be a physician for a long time, and my experiences both in Tecate, and in East L.A. cemented my hope to one day serve the underserved, especially belonging to an underrepresented minority in medicine.

What initially brought you to RVU? Why did you decide to pursue this degree?
I finished and received my Bachelor's of Science during COVID; after that, I had to do some reevaluating. I knew I still wanted to be a doctor but I also knew that I needed to explore the options I had and what I could do to bolster my GPA. I looked into master's degrees and that's when I found out about MSBS. I got the opportunity to meet with Dr.Brooks and Holly Bagot, who I spoke with at length over Zoom and learned more about the program. When I applied and got in, I was ecstatic- no other campus made me feel as welcomed or as wanted as RVU. In my time here, I've learned what study approaches work best for me, and have done a lot of adjusting. I don't think there's a program out there that would prepare a person for the rigors of medical school -or provide the support to lead their students to success- as well as this one.

What do you enjoy doing when not at RVU (family life, interests and hobbies)?
I love reading books! My favorite author right now is Ali Hazelwood-- she's a real life neuroscience PhD that's written peer-reviewed articles on brain science but has recently -and very successfully- tried her hand at writing romance novels where her main characters are always working somewhere in STEM. I have my dog Lola living with me out here, and she's very hyper. I try to take her on walks 3-4 times a day for both our sakes! I love BTS (the kpop group) and listening to whatever new music Spotify decides I'll probably like. I also have a PS4 which I don't get to use often, but my favorite games include the Last of Us franchise, and Detroit: Become Human.

What is an interesting or little known fact about you:
I graduated high school at 16! It's little known because I just forget that it happened. From a young age, I was fixated on medicine (and how long of an academic path it would be) and when the opportunity presented itself to take the CHSPE and conclude high school after sophomore year, I took it and ran with it. After that, I went to community college before transferring to UCR where I got my bachelor's degree... and now I'm at Rocky Vista University!

What is the best piece of advice you have been given by a professor or student while at RVU?
"No one cares when you learned to tie your shoes" is probably a piece of advice that had made its rounds every few weeks when imposter syndrome is hitting the hardest. Dr. Brooks is the one who's told me this and the gist of it is that regardless of how long it takes you to get to where you want to be, you WILL get there. Once you're a doctor or whatever else you aspire to be, no one will be asking how long it took.

What are your medical interests?
I've always been interested in endocrinology. I was diagnosed with T1 Diabetes a few years ago, and have to see an endocrinologist regularly to discuss treatment regimens. I also like psychiatry and neurology quite a lot. I assume my medical interests might change over time, especially the more I get to learn about the human body.

What is a favorite memory you have from being in RVU?
One of my favorite memories at RVU has been standing in a circle with friends outside of the school after each Block exam. We're all joking and venting and a little scared of what results we'll see when grades get released. We're also relieved that it's over and we're figuring out how to celebrate. It sounds a bit mundane but being in this program has allowed me to really bond with my peers and I've never had that experience before. It's a tight-knit community and we're all working together and lifting each other up; the mutual support is real.

What advice do you have for prospective students?
This program is going to be one of the hardest things you've done up until now; you'll struggle and there's a learning curve to finding what works for you in terms of studying. Every one has their own approach and it might take a while to find yours. If your first exam grade isn't what you wanted, find out what other people are doing and adjust. No one is walking in knowing everything- so don't be hard on yourself if you have a hard time. Get comfortable asking for help, going to office hours, and putting in the extra time to learn that one thing that everyone "seems" to get. You have to be bad at something before you can get really good at it.

Daniel Steele

MSBS Class 2023
Colorado Campus

Where is your hometown?
Birmingham, AL

Undergraduate studies:
Nursing

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in Miami, Florida but raised in Birmingham, Alabama. After graduating high school in 2004, I attended Auburn University for a few years but did not graduate. Auburn is a great school and I loved being there, but I lacked the skills to manage full-time student life, part-time employment, and extracurriculars. I ended up leaving academia to work for a few years and figure out what direction I wanted to go with my life. I've worked all sorts of jobs over the years to sample different things and figure out my personal niche, and I ultimately landed a medical scribe position in the ED that catapulted me into the health sciences. I earned Associates and Bachelors degrees in Nursing and worked as an RN full-time for the better part of the last 10 years - mostly in the Emergency Department. I had the opportunity to do travel nursing intermittently over the years, traveling the US and squeezing in a few international trips as well. I felt the pull of medicine ever since the early days of my nursing career, and in 2019 decided to finally scratch that itch and actively pursue medicine. It's been a long 3+ years trying to get to medical school, but now being in the MSBS I am finally in the home stretch!

What initially brought you to RVU? Why did you decide to pursue this degree?
I applied to the COM in the 2021-2022 cycle but was not offered an interview. I emailed and called the admissions office to insist that they take a second look at my application, which they kindly declined, but followed up with "you might be interested in our Master's in Biomedical Sciences program". I attended a virtual info session with Dr. Towne and Courtney Campbell which really caught my attention as a great means of bolstering my knowledge! The opportunity to get a half-step further towards medical school made the decision a no-brainer!!

What do you enjoy doing when not at RVU (family life, interests and hobbies)?
My wife is a Veterinary Medicine student at CSU in Fort Collins, so I spend a lot of weekends in FoCo studying with her and drinking way too much coffee while we both stress about how to digest all this material! When I'm not studying or commuting, I like to cook and try new recipes, try new wines, or go rock climbing. Climbing is definitely my #1 hobby and favorite way to enjoy the natural world around us.

What is an interesting or little known fact about you:
I grew up being immersed in music from an early age - choral ensembles, symphonic band, jazz band, and marching band. I took that all the way to the collegiate level and marched in the band at Auburn University. I absolutely LOVE music, though I no longer perform or play any instruments. I miss it sometimes, but climbing took over about 15 years ago and I don't regret that in the slightest 🙂

What is the best piece of advice you have been given by a professor or student while at RVU?
From Dr. Roberts before our first block exam this semester: "Remember, your score is just a data point and does not define your value as a person. Tomorrow is just another step on your journey."

This really struck me because I have found we humans tend to wrap our identity and value up with our performance. However, the fact is, how we carry ourselves daily and how we treat others offers a better picture of who we truly are, and has nothing to do with our exam grades or GPA.

What are your medical interests?
I frequently daydream about working rurally and serving a smaller, spread-out community. With that said, I am keeping my mind open as I progress to the next phase. I'll also add that since leaving the emergency department to pursue this master's degree, I frequently find myself missing that setting and fast-paced atmosphere. So, Rural Medicine vs Emergency Medicine? Who knows?!

What is a favorite memory you have from being in RVU?
It's hard to pinpoint a single memory from being at RVU so far, but I can confidently say that one of my favorite parts of being at RVU is the support that everyone exudes. The faculty and administrative personnel are so helpful and encouraging, and on top of that my peers are all super motivated and I find that incredibly inspiring and contagious. The atmosphere at RVU is perfect for staying focused and disciplined, and that is one of my favorite parts of being a student here.

What advice do you have for prospective students?
I will share a Calvin Coolidge quote that my grandfather bequeathed me as a young man: "Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.”

Is there anything else you would like to add?
RVUCOM Class of 2027 or bust!

Kathleen Villaluz

MSBS Class 2023
Utah Campus

Where is your hometown?
Las Vegas, NV

Undergraduate studies:
B.S. in Biological Sciences

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in Chicago, IL but grew up in Las Vegas, NV. I come from a big family with 3 brothers, tons of cousins, and the most supportive parents you could ask for! We are all super close and grew up living within 5 minutes from each other. Since coming from a larger city, it has been a little bit of an adjustment moving to Utah, but I can’t complain when my backyard is literally a beautiful red mountain! I graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor's in Biological Sciences, and I have always had an interest in pursuing medicine, but would always contemplate the different avenues to practice medicine. After a few years of working and volunteering at various healthcare settings, I decided to seriously pursue my dreams and am grateful to be in the MSBS program!

What initially brought you to RVU? Why did you decide to pursue this degree?
A physician that I was shadowing was an alumni from RVUCOM and brought up the MSBS program, so I started researching more about the program and decided to apply. From the start of the application process, I felt so welcomed and supported by the faculty and it definitely made a huge impact on my decision to pursue this degree specifically at this university. I truly believe that my success and enjoyment during this program is partly because of how supportive everyone has been here– choose people (and a program) that choose you!

What do you enjoy doing when not at RVU (family life, interests and hobbies)?
Since I am very close with my family and luckily Las Vegas is only a 2 hour drive from Ivins, whenever I have a “golden weekend” I will usually drive home to relax with family and friends. I also have 2 adorable pups, a chihuahua and yorkie, that I love to take on walks and spend time with. Some of my hobbies include hot pilates/yoga, self-care days like getting facials, and since moving to Utah I’ve really enjoyed climbing and playing pickleball with friends.

What is an interesting or little known fact about you:
My family is from the Philippines and I am really proud of my culture. Growing up, I would take yearly trips to the Philippines so now I can fully understand the dialect, but it is a bit harder for me to speak the language fluently. However, when I spend a few months in my parent’s hometown, it becomes easier for me to pick up the language. I hope to fluently speak the language one day, and apply aspects of the Filipino culture to advocate for diversity in medicine.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given by a professor or student while at RVU?
The best advice that I have received while at RVU hasn’t been from one specific professor, but throughout my time here I’ve always heard, "Be confident and know that you are meant to be here." This has stuck with me because there have been many times when I’ve felt the infamous “imposter syndrome,” but when I think back to this advice it reassures me that I’m in this program for a reason and to have the confidence in all the hard work I’ve done. Like I've said previously, the faculty and staff at RVU have continuously been so supportive and encouraging that it's hard not to have the confidence in yourself to do the best you can.

What are your medical interests?
I’ve been interested in sleep medicine and how it relates to various diseases and disorders, but I’m also keeping an open mind once I get more exposure to different specialties!

What is a favorite memory you have from being in RVU?
My favorite memory from being in RVU so far has just been the camaraderie that I’ve made with my classmates these last few months. For me, building these friendships has made such a positive impact in my time during the program. In Utah, we have a small cohort so we are all comfortable with each other and like to joke around whenever we can, which helps keep things fun during stressful block weeks.

What advice do you have for prospective students?
My advice for prospective students is that balance is key! Work hard and have discipline with your studies, but also know when to relax and take some time to enjoy yourself during the program. The next 9 months are intense, but they also will fly by so quickly and at the end of this, you’ll hopefully have a few new skill sets and experiences that can help you with your future endeavors.

Kathleen Villaluz

MSBS Class 2023
Colorado Campus

Where is your hometown?
Garuda, Nepal

Undergraduate studies:
Bachelors of Science in Biology, Minor in Psychology and Chemistry

Graduate studies:
Master of Public Health in Global Health Epidemiology

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in a rural village in Garuda, Nepal. I immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 17. My desire to pursue a career in medicine and public health started from my experiences with inequitable healthcare systems in Nepal and the U.S. My journey to medicine has been very bumpy but full of great experiences. I received my Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology and Chemistry from the University of Colorado Denver. Afterwards, I finished my Masters of Public Health in Global Health Epidemiology from the Colorado School of Public Health. This led me to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be at the forefront of a pandemic response. Before coming to the MSBS program, I worked as an Epidemiology Branch Manager at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment serving 30+ local health departments and their COVID response team. Throughout this time, my continued efforts to get into medical school were unsuccessful. The MSBS program provided another opportunity to pursue my passions.

What initially brought you to RVU? Why did you decide to pursue this degree?
Two of my close friends are alumni of the MSBS program who started in the COM this fall. They played a major role in my decision to pursue this degree at RVU. I initially applied to the COM directly and was not offered an interview. Afterwards, my friends talked to me about the MSBS program and how it could provide another pathway for medical school.

What do you enjoy doing when not at RVU (family life, interests and hobbies)?
I enjoy exploring Colorado and outdoor adventures. When I need to destress, I often take a ride up to the mountains and go on a hike with my friends. I also really enjoy cooking and hosting my friends over for dinner. Sometimes, I use my Pomodoro breaks between studying to play chess (and, yes, it does help me relax and destress). My girlfriend, who is also in the MSBS program, loves going on Costco dates with me when we can't go to the mountains.

What is an interesting or little known fact about you:
Something that I find very interesting about my early life is that my house in Nepal had a water pump installed by the WHO. Back then, this pump was the only source of clean water for the entire village. It was such a simple intervention that likely saved several lives in that village, including mine. This is also where my interest in public health started.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given by a professor or student while at RVU?
Professors and students while at RVU have reminded me that scores do not define us or determine whether or not we will be better doctors. Our experiences, curiosity, and willingness to learn more are what shape us to keep growing. The current academic metric system often limits us, but we are so much more than our scores.

What are your medical interests?
Based on my past experiences, I have gathered that I thrive in emergency responses where things are changing and moving fast. I also want to use my skills and knowledge to serve the global community. As of right now, I am interested in either general surgery or emergency medicine but I am also keeping an open mind as I learn more about other specialties in medicine.

What is a favorite memory you have from being in RVU?
My favorite memory thus far from being in RVU is gathering by the glass window to get some sunlight. Some of us gather here during our 10-minute breaks between classes. We laugh, vent, and talk about almost everything in the world. These 10 min breaks help us get through even the most stressful weeks. We talk about our weekend plans, food recipes, recent travels, Celsius and its impact on our grades, and how Minnesota names its snow plows. The common theme here is that we take a fun study break.

What advice do you have for prospective students?
I know from my own experience, how hard it can be to navigate the process of getting into medical school, especially if you are a first-generation student. My advice for prospective students is to stay persistent and determined. Don't be afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. This is how we learn and grow. MSBS program is a very intense 9-month program but it also guides you on how to become a well-prepared medical student. You learn so many new student skills and discover a supportive environment around you. Best of all, you can bypass MCAT.

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