College & Career Prep

How CaRA Prepared Me for College

How CaRA Prepared Me for My Future Career

At one meeting in 2024, many professionals from Vanderbilt came and talked to us about their jobs. One of the speakers, a head and neck surgeon who specializes in removing cancerous growth and tumors, explained the parameters of his job and why he does it. I spoke to him individually after the meeting, asking him about medical school and why he chose to become a surgeon. He explained to me that he had no idea what he wanted to do until he was already halfway through medical school, and that is how many medical students are. He told me to take many different classes in college to expand my interests, especially if they don't seem relevant to "science." The surgeon described his educational experiences and encouraged me to take internships, shadow professionals, and explore my interests. 

I know for certain that I want to be an orthopedic surgeon and specialize in the knee, but through the experiences I had with CaRA, I'm prepared to explore options for side jobs that interest me such as sports and concert photography.