With rubber gloves on and lab goggles secured, junior Anika Ramachandran stares down at the pig lying on the table before her. Before this, she had examined inflated pig lungs and participated in other hands-on activities, but this is the first time she is attempting something as intense as suturing a pig’s leg. Though her throat tightens with instinctual disgust, she finds the experience fascinating.
As part of the Rady Children’s Summer Medical Academy program, Ramachandran has worked with ER doctors, pediatric surgeons, cardiologists, trauma surgeons and other specialists to gain insight into her future career in medicine. For Ramachandran, the dream of becoming a doctor started in childhood, and she says she has been working toward it ever since. Through her medical academy program, she has gained technical skills like CPR and a Stop the Bleed certification, as well as practical skills applicable to daily life.
“It got me into a routine, which helped because my routine is not very consistent,” Ramachandran said. “It was able to get me into the mindset of having a little bit more discipline in that aspect, as well as the growth mindset that we’ve learned about since elementary school.”
Junior Christine Liu, a student at Cupertino High School, was also able to gain valuable qualities as a street dance instructor at Young Reach Dance Studio. She first started dancing in middle school in Taiwan, where she joined a dance crew and participated in competitions, leading her to want to become an established dancer. Beyond improving her technique and teaching skills, Liu says that being an instructor has helped her connect with people more easily.
“I’m still a bit nervous, especially since I’m an introvert, so it’s hard to speak in front of thirty-ish people,” Liu said. “But I would still say my communication skills got better because I’m always having to speak in front of my students. So now, when I’m presenting at school, I’m not as nervous as before.”
Guidance counselor Clay Stiver echoes the importance of developing stronger communication skills. He frequently receives questions from students about how to secure pre-professional or professional opportunities, and his biggest piece of advice is always to take initiative through actions such as cold calling, cold emailing and confidently introducing oneself to potential mentors or employers.
“It’s not going to get handed to you — you’ve got to really get out there and look for it,” Stiver said. “Some of the best experiences come from just calling and reaching out. Students reach out to 50 plus people and eventually get hooked up with one really good offer. So be your own advocate, do your work and you’d be surprised by what finds you.”
Liu, too, values accountability in both her academic and dance careers. She admits that balancing school with choreographing and teaching weekly routines can be stressful. As a student instructor, she doesn’t face the same expectations as her more experienced colleagues, but even so, she says she holds herself to high standards, ensuring that each of her choreographies improves in quality each time.
“Having a sense of responsibility is really important when doing anything in your life,” Liu said. “If you’re an instructor, it’s important to be clear when you’re teaching and taking care of your students. Your future goals, too — you just have to take responsibility for them and make sure you treat things seriously, even if it’s not that serious.”
According to Stiver, many students feel pressured to build competitive résumés for college applications — a survey of 113 people found that 81.4% of students feel the need to be competitive to get into college while 72.4% are currently engaging in or considering pre-professional activities. However, Stiver argues that this is a common misconception and believes that it would be more fulfilling for students to pursue meaningful experiences, whether volunteering at a homeless shelter or enrolling in dual-credit courses, rather than simply checking off boxes for college admissions.
“I just hate it when students feel like they have to do something for college,” Stiver said. “I don’t want students to feel pressured to have to do something they don’t want to do. Some kids play a lot of sports, so they’re really busy. Some kids have to take care of siblings or grandparents, which takes time. I just wish that students don’t feel like something has to be done for college admissions, because there’s really no specific formula to get into college.”
For Ramachandran, however, she says exploring her interests is never about meeting college expectations but about discovering her own passions. Before her medical academy experience, Ramachandran only had a vague idea of what it took to work in the medical field. However, after her training deepened her understanding, she felt reassured that this was the right path for her.
“The program solidified my decision for me,” Ramachandran said. “I went into the program not sure if I’d be a nurse or something, but then I came out knowing I want to be a doctor. I know now that this is the journey that I’m going to take. It’s going to take a long, long time, and I’m going to learn a lot of things, but I know that a major part of me still wants to become a doctor.”
Similarly, Liu says she has found fulfillment in her work, crediting dance with shaping her into a more confident person willing to step outside her comfort zone. Especially amid high academic stressors, she sees dance not as another burden for college acceptance but as a necessary outlet.
“When I’m dancing, I’m really happy and not thinking about anything else,” Liu said. “Someone might tell you, ‘Oh, you can’t earn money with dancing,’ or someone might tell you that it’s stupid, but I think it’s really important to not care about what others think and just keep pursuing the things you love.”
