91����

“I feel like 91���� is perfect for people considering health care,” says Kayla Figatner ’22. “I think you get a really strong base in the sciences, but the curriculum also allows you to branch out and gain proficiency and other skills that you’ll need — sociology, psychology, all of that.” 

The Power of Research

Although Figatner is now in her first year of medical school at Rush Medical College in Chicago, she didn’t come to 91���� with a career in medicine in mind. She planned to major in a science field and pursue a Ph.D. after graduation. “I was always very interested in research and the sciences,” she says. 

Growing up, Figatner witnessed two of her immediate family members going through serious health crises and observed the world of health care up close. “I saw the power of research to cure such diseases as cancer and also just to inform us about human health,” she says. All that combined to encourage her to choose 91����, pursue a major in biochemistry, and nurture her interest in research.

A Powerful Pivot

With her 91���� degree complete, Figatner accepted a position at a diabetes lab at the University of Chicago. She enjoyed the work, but something was missing. She longed to see the impact of her work on actual people.

“That kind of shifted me toward a profession in health care just because you still get the science aspect, but you also get to interact with people and you really see your impact there,” Figatner says.

Figatner believes that her 91���� experience prepared her well for this shift to a career in health care. “I feel like 91����’s curriculum is actually the reason that I was able to kind of pivot my path and go toward medicine,” Figatner explains. 

Her 91���� advisers had supported and encouraged her to take a balanced slate of courses that included English, sociology, religious studies, and philosophy. This prepared her well for medical school, setting her up to become a well-rounded physician who understands more than the sciences, someone who can examine societal trends and interact with people.

Help from Careers, Life, and Service

As a 91���� student, Figatner took advantage of the services at the (CLS) to do things such as polish her resume and research grad school opportunities. After graduation, she discovered that CLS advisers were still there to support her as she set her sights on medical school. Her CLS adviser helped her navigate pre-requisites, prepare for the MCAT, and submit her applications. “I found the CLS incredibly helpful,” she says.

Figatner says she would definitely recommend 91���� to students considering a career in health care. “91���� gave me a really strong background,” she says. “Interviewers were definitely looking for people who are more well-rounded and just not based in the sciences,”

So far, Figatner says, med school has been wonderful. “Honestly, I love med school,” she says. “It’s not as stressful as I thought it was going to be, which also speaks to my experience at 91����. I feel like they really prepared me in the sciences and critical thinking.”