Student Spotlights
Current and former students describe how they came to choose Miami, life as a Miami student, the value of a liberal arts education, their study abroad experiences and internships, and more.
Alex Danielson
(BA Biochemistry and Bachelor of Music in Music Performance, Class of 2018)
My undergraduate research experiences at Miami have helped me get involved with medical research here at OSU. For example, the manuscript writing experiences I gained at Miami recently helped me write a research proposal that resulted in a scholarship to do research at OSU during this upcoming summer.
See what Alex had to say about how his undergraduate research experiences helped him write a research proposal that resulted in a scholarship to do research at medical school.
Allison Kumnick
(BA Biochemistry, Class of 2017)
Seeking to learn, rather than to know, is the best way to approach medical school, and I learned how to study this way during my undergraduate years in the chemistry department.
See Allison’s advice in choosing a major that would help in medical school.
Andrew Katko
(BA Biochemistry, Class of 2018)
At Miami, I was taught how to think critically and to be capable of figuring some things out on my own, which is expected out of medical students. I feel just as capable to succeed in medical school as a Miami University graduate as my peers who attended top tier private institutions, which is not a slight on those schools but rather a testament to the education Miami provides.
See what Andrew had to say about his most cherished experience from Miami (spoiler alert: something to do with his major!).
Coleton Towles
(BS Biochemistry, Class of 2018)
My curriculum at Miami prepared me for medical school by teaching me how to work through difficult courses. Medical school has been difficult, but not any harder than what I’ve already experienced as a Biochemistry major at Miami. My difficult course load at Miami taught me resilience and time management.
Read on to learn how Coleton's research experience at Miami helped him in medical school interviews.
Jamie Stewart
(BS Biochemistry, Class of 2018)
[As a biochemistry major at Miami,] I experienced a positive collaboration with peers to facilitate and solidify learning. Faculty are supportive of students in many ways in their growth towards their future careers. They promote independent learning, cultivate strong leadership roles, and mentor students through the research experience.
See Jamie's advice on major selection to enjoy the process of learning.
Jenna Nicholson
(BA Biochemistry, Class of 2016)
Even though I wasn’t too happy having to learn a hundred different calculations in Calculus 2 or thousands of mechanisms in biochemistry, those classes definitely prepared me for the amount of effort I needed to put into learning new protocols.
See what Jenna says about changing your career plans.
Kendall Smith
(BA Chemistry, Class of 2017)
It was very helpful to have such a strong chemistry background while studying for the MCAT and in the molecular courses of medical school. I also still refer back to my senior capstone project on antibiotic resistance for information.
See what Kendall says about choosing a major as a pre-med student.
Kenna Koehler
(BA Biochemistry, Class of 2017)
Biochemistry was a challenging major that required hard work and dedication, but it prepared me well for the volume of information I needed to learn during my first two years. Being a Miami alumna has also connected me to many professionals in the medical field, and I've found a lot of support and networking opportunities within the graduate community.
Read Kenna's story on her fun, practical honor's project that she enjoyed at Miami.
Nathan Burns
(BS Biochemistry, Class of 2017)
The opportunities I had at Miami while working toward a biochemistry degree have helped in my career path tremendously. The faculty in the department really care about the students and are always available to help out when you need to talk about something going on in class or with planning for what to do after graduation.
See what Nathan says about the benefits of undergraduate research.
Olivia Rizzo
(BS Biochemistry, Class of 2017)
In my experience, chemistry and medicine both require conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and problem solving in creative ways. These are incredibly useful skills for lifelong learning, treating patients, and taking exams.
Rick Killeen
(BS Biochemistry, Class of 2018)
Research was also a huge part of my career at Miami, which was my strongest extracurricular activity on my application. It is a huge talking point during interviews, and interviewers love to see that you had a good control over your project and that you were passionate about your research.... Other extracurricular that helped me that I would highly recommend are tutoring and serving as a TA for a lab if given an opportunity. These are great leadership and education roles that also help you keep up with past information.
Read to find out why Rick says "there is not a major I would recommend more than biochemistry."
Sophia Rafferty
(BS Biochemistry, Class of 2018)
Upon entering medical school, every student experiences a learning curve where study habits must be modified to adequately learn the increased volume of material that is covered every day. The rigorous biochemistry curriculum at Miami University helped me prepare for this adjustment, as I developed successful studying techniques.
Stella Petroff
(BA Biochemistry, Class of 2016)
...having a chemistry/biochemistry background has made it easier to learn and understand some of the properties of dental materials that we must know.
See what Stella has to say about the value of the biochemistry major to dental school.
Taylor Becker
(BS Biochemistry, Class of 2017)
Being able to understand why certain relationships are important at the molecular level has helped me understand the plant processes and nutrient uptake on a whole field scale.