Sara Journey, a 2018 Pedrozzi Scholar, is a Granada High School graduate who received her B.S. in Biology at San Diego State. With a desire to help others and make an impact on many lives, Sara is going to medical school to become a physician. Sara is currently enrolled at University of Michigan Medical School. Sara describes her path towards medical school and the impact of her scholarship:
C.S. Lewis stated, “You must be asking which one is the true door; not which pleases you best with its paint and paneling.” The past, present, and future are all connected. However, this fact becomes more evident as time proceeds, and it is up to us throughout life to choose seemingly equivalent paths to stretch into.
In my past, Korrine Croghan was my friend, as she was to many others. She suffered from ovarian cancer, and this was my first genuine exposure to medicine. Little did I know that five other family members would also be diagnosed with cancer during college. Three passed from their disease. They all showed me true strength, to fight through some of the most painful situations known to man.
In my present, I am conducting drug discovery at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). From watching my uncle take part of a clinical trial at the NCI, to walking the halls of the building he lived in, connected my past to my present. I am beginning to understand how everything is threaded together.
As for the future, well, I will have to let you know once I get there! However, because of the experiences in my past and present, I have a passion to enter medical school at the University of Michigan. My ‘true door’ is to guide patients through some of the most difficult situations of their lives. I desire to be a physician advocate for individuals who experience injustice, health disparities, and need someone to fight for their health. The financial assistance from the Pedrozzi Foundation is going to help me fund my tuition, not only benefiting me, but many other patients to come. I truly feel honored to have received this scholarship, and thank you to the Pedrozzi Foundation for supporting me on my journey into medicine!
