Paramedic/MD Year 1
Bret is from Downers Grove, IL and is currently residing in Chicago. He graduated with his MCB degree in 2015. Bret is working as a paramedic and matriculated to medical school at Midwestern University in August. When recalling his time at U of I, Bret says he is most grateful for the opportunity to learn from and work with world-class researchers as well as the higher-level courses saying "they offered a great deal of freedom and variety which helped to expand my horizons and diversify my knowledge base".
Some of Bret's best memories are of the study groups he would coordinate with other MCB students. Bret also had some advice to offer for current and new MCB students: "Keep your chin up, head high, and eyes on the prize! MCB is a very difficult, and consequently very prestigious, degree. There may be times where you may feel lost or overwhelmed. Take a step back, breathe deep, and refocus. Keep in mind that you have some of the world's foremost experts in biology at your disposal, and easily the best advising team under the sun. More importantly, you have hundreds of other MCB majors that are in the exact same boat as you. Don't be shy, be collaborative. Get out there, be brave, be bold, and don't forget that you're allowed to give yourself a break every once in a while."