MCG Admissions

While many students grow up wanting to go to medical school, I discovered a passion for medicine largely by accident. I always thought I wanted to go to law school – I love American history, did high school debate, and I loved to read. It wasn’t until I was sitting in a mandatory general chemistry class at Emory University that I discovered that I really liked science. While I did still major in History, after shadowing at Grady Memorial Hospital in Neurology, I knew that medicine was my path. Since then, I’ve been blessed to have so many opportunities in so many different parts of medicine: basic science & clinical research in psychiatry, medical scribing and, most recently, clinical research in orthopedics.

From a non-academic perspective, I am a fun & laidback person. I have lived in Atlanta for basically my entire life, so rooting for Atlanta sports teams are a particular passion of mine (go Atlanta United!). My hobbies include playing basketball and soccer with other medical students, stand-up comedy and exploring different types of cuisine. As someone who had never had major collegiate sports teams, I have loved learning to embrace UGA football and school spirit here in Athens!

A common thread that unites myself and all of the other MCG students I have met thus far is a strong commitment to service and pursuit of knowledge. Physicians have a unique privilege of being able to serve our community while still being personally challenged to learn new things everyday. My time so far at MCG has only confirmed this – in our cases and the patients that we see at the Mercy Health Clinic, we are reminded to treat the whole person, seeing the effects of a lack of access has on a person’s overall health, as we simultaneously learn the mechanisms of the patient’s disease. As someone who has prioritized service and learning in their life before medical school, being a physician allows me to fulfill both of those passions completely.  

My grandfather, Dr. Tony Breuer, has served as my role model for as long as I remember. He is a neurologist and his commitment to explaining and teaching the patient about their disease is probably what helped drive me towards medicine as a career. And while this is professionally inspiring, what inspires me the most is how he balances his passions outside of the clinic – he is an accomplished professional painter and artist, outdoorsman, and a wonderful father/husband/grandfather. If I am half the person that he is when I am his age, I am confident that my patients, family and community will be better off for it.

I chose the Medical Partnership Campus for many reasons and could not be happier that I did. I felt that I would learn better from a smaller, more intimate teaching environment where I got to know professors and physicians personally. I also really appreciated a case-based approach to tackling the diseases we were learning – why not practice what we’ll be doing for the rest of our lives?! Finally, I wanted to explore Athens, GA – an amazing town filled to the brim with great music, die-hard school spirit, and tons of resources for whatever you want to explore. I know that my fellow classmates and I have not regretted for a moment coming to this campus. 

Studying (duh)! We have small group learning sessions in the mornings where me & seven other students, guided by an MD and PhD, tackle a case based off a real-life patient related to what we are learning that week. Afterwards, there are large group lectures. In the afternoons, we are either learning about population health or practice interviewing real patients in the hospital!

On weekends, you can find me playing basketball with classmates, going to a concert or football game here in Athens or Atlanta, or hanging out with friends. Last weekend, some of us went up to Helen, GA for a daytrip! Otherwise, I’m hitting the books!

After medical school, I hope to go off to residency! I am currently torn between orthopedics, physiatry, or some other surgical specialty. The problem with medical school is that everything is so interesting! After residency, I hope to return (or stay!) in Georgia where I can continue to care for the state that raised me.

• I generally wake up at 4:45-5:00 am, walk my dog and get to school for a 5:45 workout at the gym. Depending on the demands of the day, I may attend class from 8am-12pm, or just study on my own. I usually spend lunch with my friends or attending an interest group or student organization meeting. In the afternoon, I may attend PBL (Problem Based Learning) or PD (Physical Diagnosis) depending on the day. The rest of the afternoon is usually spent studying the material for the week.