What is your educational & work background?
I graduated from UF with my bachelor’s in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology in 2023. I am in the second year of pursuing a Master’s in Public Health, concentrating on population health management. I hope to matriculate into medical school in 2026. In the future, I hope to combine everything I have learned regarding exercise physiology and improving health outcomes into real practice, making a true impact on a patient population.
Previously I worked as a urology medical assistant for a physician group with various locations throughout north central Florida. This was a very rewarding experience as I got to provide relief to those in an extreme amount of distress. Nothing will beat seeing the wave of relief come over a patient’s face once you start them on the road to recovery. Within research, I used to perform various tasks as a research assistant within the UF APK Performance Psychology Lab. The study was very interesting and investigated the physiological relationship between something called the “Mammalian Dive Response” and mental health.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy learning the recipes of staple dishes from around the world. When I was younger, I used to want to be a chef. As I have grown older, cooking has turned into a hobby of mine and something I take extreme joy in doing. I also enjoy reading and listening to music in my free time. I love books that are mythical and express magical realism through the writing. As far as music goes, I enjoy listening to deep house and indie dance music. If I have a ton of free time, I have a DJ controller that allows me to experiment with mixing and matching songs that I enjoy. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies, these hobbies of mine have allowed me to enter a portal to a different world. When participating in these activities, I always get caught up and seem to escape from reality, which is what makes them so pleasurable for me.
Who inspires you the most?
The person who inspires me the most is my mom. She is the one who keeps me motivated and is always there for me. Her independence and work ethic is something I admire about her greatly, and what motivates me to wake up every day and attack it with the best version of myself.
What’s the best advice you were ever given?
The best piece of advice I have gotten is “Comparison is the thief of joy.” I used to get caught up in comparing myself to my peers. It was a big thing for me to come and learn that different people have different lives, and if I am constantly comparing, it is hard to be happy with what I have. Another thing that has stuck with me is something that the legendary Carlos Santana said in a documentary about his life. He mentioned that every day he wakes up and takes a shower, and in the shower, he watches the problems/doubts/concerns of yesterday flush down the drain. This allows him to approach each day not defined and limited by the past but by focusing on being the best version of yourself in the present. This is something I strive to do daily, not let the past or future dictate the present.