It’s hard to believe that I am almost halfway through medical school already! As a second-year at UNECOM, I have completely fallen in love with learning the pathophysiology behind various medical conditions and the puzzle of figuring out how to best care for patients. A lot of this year has been learning how to recognize different clinical presentations and mastering exam skills to prepare for the next two years, during which I will spend the majority of my time on the hospital floors learning in real time. Outside of school, I have had a few incredible opportunities that have helped me to further explore my passions. Over the past year, I have continued to volunteer at the elementary schools in the local community, both through mentorship and teaching. Through our school’s Pediatric Club and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), I have been able to participate in advocacy initiatives to learn how to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and gun violence prevention in pediatric populations. This past summer, I was selected for the 2023 Endocrine Society Research for Medical and Graduate Students (REGMS) Award, which supported my work on a research project examining the effects of calorie restriction on bone morphology in a preclinical model. The REGMS program brings together students from across the country who are conducting research in endocrinology and provides a variety of opportunities for career development during weekly seminars led by experts in the field. As a REGMS recipient, I will have the chance to share my work at the ENDO Conference in Boston this June! Thank you, again, MVYouth for all that you do. I am forever grateful for your support.
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
This past June, I started my first year of medical school at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine. I have loved being able to study just seconds from the beach (and on a good day even on the beach!) and getting to explore the city of Portland, Maine. From being in the gross anatomy lab, to participating in simulated patient encounters, to spending time visiting local nursing homes to practice taking patient histories, my days are full of exciting learning experiences.
What I love about osteopathic medicine is the integration of what we think of as “traditional” medicine with the osteopathic philosophy of the mind, body, and soul being a unit. When a patient comes in with a chief complaint, we are taught to think about how to treat the root of the problem rather than just the symptoms. We also learn Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM), which is a hands-on approach to diagnosing and treating somatic dysfunctions to improve a patient’s structural and physiological health.
In my free time, I have been volunteering at the local elementary schools as a mentor to a third-grade student and as a teacher for the Mini Medical School Program where I lead monthly lessons on different body systems in a third-grade classroom. Some of my time has also been spent working on research at the Maine Health Institute of Research, where we are assessing the possible adverse effects of Canagliflozin, a drug for type II diabetes, on bone health in a mouse-model. To say the least, school has kept me busy! Thank you again to MVYouth for all of your support over the past several years. You truly have helped to make my dreams possible.
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
It has been another eventful year for the books! Since my last update, I have continued to work as a medical assistant at an ophthalmology practice and still enjoy each day spent in the clinic working alongside many talented physicians. In the spring, I had the opportunity to get involved in clinical research organizing data for entry into a nationwide study analyzing the efficiency and effectiveness of a newer medical device that can be implanted during cataract surgery to slow the progression of glaucoma. Being able to work in healthcare, especially during the pandemic, has been an invaluable way to see how doctors care and advocate for the health of their patients, even in the most difficult of situations.
Over the past year, a large portion of my time was spent applying to medical schools. I am excited to say that after many essays and tests, I have officially been accepted into medical school and will be matriculating into the Class of 2026 next fall! I am still in the process of interviewing at different schools so my decision is not final as to where I will be going, but stay tuned. When I wasn’t busy working on applications, my free time was spent fostering a family of adorable newborn puppies, exploring new nature trails or kayaking along the bay, and virtually volunteering as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line, a global non-profit organization that provides free short-term mental health services for those in crisis via texting.
Although these past few years have been challenging for everyone, I am hopeful and excited about the things that are to come. Thank you again, MVYouth, for all that you have done to help me get this far in my journey of becoming a physician.
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
At the end of my four-year journey at Hamilton, I’m very excited to have decided that I want to pursue a career in medicine and plan to attend medical school in the near future. After a Zoom graduation to wrap up an incredible four years, I spent my summer in quarantine at home taking online classes to finish pre-med requirements. In the fall, I started working as a medical scribe/assistant at an ophthalmology office in Rhode Island. Each day I work alongside many talented doctors that perform cataract and glaucoma surgeries, cornea transplants, and routine eye exams. As the doctor moves through their day, I’m responsible for inputting any important information from the examination into the patients’ electronic medical records, and for assisting during a variety of minor surgical procedures in the office. Outside of work, I have been studying for the MCAT that I will take in March and preparing my medical school applications to be sent off in June! Thank you again to MVYouth for supporting me throughout my time at Hamilton College, and for giving me the ability to continue to pursue my dreams without having to worry about being held back by student debt. I will be forever grateful for all that you have given to me and to the Vineyard community.
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
It is incredibly bittersweet to think that I am wrapping up my four years here at Hamilton. Last spring, I spent four months studying in Madrid on the Hamilton in Spain program. The program had a language pledge, so I was only allowed to speak Spanish for the entirety of my time there. I traveled all over Spain and different parts of Europe, had authentic Spanish cuisine cooked by my incredible host mother every day, and even took a flamenco dance class. I was so lucky to become integrated in the Spanish culture, and I hope to be able to return in the future. Back at Hamilton this year, I’ve been working on my senior thesis projects. The first is for my biology major, where I am looking at the negative effects of inbreeding on immunity-related gene diversity in the American crow. I’m super excited about this, since I am going to be using a relatively new DNA-sequencing technique with the help of the Cornell University Biotechnology Resource Center and biology labs. The second is for my major in Hispanic studies, where I will be studying gender in Latin America. After graduation, I am hoping to find experiences that will help me determine if I want to pursue a career in either medicine or biology research (or maybe even the two together). These past four years have introduced me to so many new ideas and opportunities. I cannot express my gratitude enough to those involved in MVYouth, you have all helped to make my time here so invaluable. Thank you!
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
The past year has been full of opportunity and excitement for me. Over the summer, I was lucky enough to intern as a part-time teacher at the New England Center for Children, a school for children with severe autism in Southborough, MA. This was an invaluable experience, as I worked closely with a group of nine boys who brought me an endless amount of joy and deepened my passion for working with children with special needs.
In the past semester, I have continued to be a part of the women’s club soccer team here on campus. We had several games in the fall, playing teams within an hour or so from Hamilton. On the weekends we did not have games, I spent my time volunteering with the HAAND (Hamilton Autism Advocates for Neurodiversity) where we got to spend time with children with autism from the surrounding community.
I took a sensation and perception class in which we learned about the psychology and neuroscience behind how we sense and perceive the things around us. I also spent some of my time doing research with a psychology professor this semester, looking at the meaning-making process in narrative memories. Vertebrate physiology and cellular neurobiology both helped broaden my understanding of how our bodies work on a biological level. I hope to eventually combine my passion for biology and children with special needs in my future career path.
This upcoming spring semester, I am thrilled to be studying abroad in Madrid with the Hamilton College Spain program. I hope to fully immerse myself in the Spanish culture and the beauty of the Spanish language. I am forever grateful for everything that MVYouth has done to support me through all of these experiences. Thank you.
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
My time at Hamilton College has continued to be an amazing experience, and it is flying by! Over the past year I have spent several Saturdays working with the Hamilton Autism Advocates for NeuroDiversity (HAAND) club on campus. Children with autism from the surrounding community come to the school and engage in all different kinds of activities and arts and crafts to help boost their social kids with others. This has been one to most inspirational things for me on campus, as I have become very passionate about working with children with autism and other special needs. I was also recently elected co-captain for the women’s club soccer team for the upcoming semester. This past year I was able to take some really cool classes. I took a developmental biology course and watched chick embryos develop, and was also able to participate in several different psychology studies for senior thesis projects for my psychology class. I am looking forward to many new experiences and classes in the upcoming semesters. Thank you, MVYouth, for another amazing year!
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
Life at Hamilton continues to be new and exciting every day. Because of the open curriculum, I’m taking the courses that really interest and challenge me. Everyone here is kind and hardworking and it feels so rewarding to be able to be part of this community. I joined the club soccer team at the beginning of the semester and that has been one of the highlights of my college experience so far. There’s no better way to end a day of classes and studying than playing soccer with some of my closest friends. I was also excited to be recently accepted into the Hamilton Reads program for next semester, in which I will be a reading tutor for a second or third grader from a local elementary school twice a week. Thank you MVYouth for this scholarship and for allowing me to attend my dream school. I will be forever grateful as I move through these next four years.