Vanderbilt University, Molecular and Cellular Biology & Medicine, Health, and Society, Brian Li

Name: Brian Li

Age: 21

College / University: Vanderbilt University

Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology & Medicine, Health, and Society

Country origin: Canada

What did you do in high school to prepare you for this major? Tell us about your extracurricular activities and any honors/awards you received while preparing for university.

I have aspired to become a doctor since a relatively young age, around elementary school, and never really took my mind off it. For this reason, I tried my best to deepen my knowledge base in STEM and medicine-related experiences during high school. I was interested in chemistry at the time and earned an award for the highest grade in AP Chemistry. I also competed and scored in the top percentages in Canadian chemistry contests such as the Avogadro's and Chem 13 News Exams hosted by the University of Waterloo, and I competed in the Canadian Chemistry Olympiad as well. To explore my interest in medicine, I was an active part of the biomedical club, volunteered at my local hospital, participated in a few summer biomedical programs, and founded a blog post organization that publishes weekly blogs about scientific advancements with my high school friends.

Please tell us your daily life schedule as a student with this major in your university.

It varies a lot based on your interests, commitment, and future career paths. It also just varies day to day. Overall, the first two years are heavy on the premed courses like general biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, etc., so a lot of time is spent studying. During free time on weekdays or weekends, many people choose to go to regular volunteer shifts, physician shadowing sessions, on or off campus jobs (I’m a tutor myself), and/or research. I’m also part of a few clubs, so attending or leading club meetings is usually part of my daily schedule.

How do you manage your stress? What's the secret?

There’s no one way that works for everyone, so I would say you have to experiment. Overall, I like to stick to the basics, such as living a healthy lifestyle by eating well, exercising regularly, and maintaining an organized physical and digital workspace. I’d say the mental aspect of stress management is often underrated, and for me, it’s a huge part of what I need to take care of to manage stress in life. Coming to terms with who you are, what you’re capable of, what you want in life, and understanding what needs to be resolved for the stress to be alleviated are all crucial for maintaining good mental well-being. A physician I shadowed introduced me to the concept of Ikigai, and I thought it articulates how to find peace and minimize stress in life.

What advice would you give high school students wanting to study this major?

Look deeper into biology and public health, as both disciplines cover a wide array of topics. If you’re truly interested, you’ll find the content and current research topics fascinating. If not, you might want to reflect more on whether these majors are right for you, as they require building a strong knowledge base before you can begin to apply what you’ve learned.

What was the most helpful when applying to college for this major?

Chemistry competition honors, biomedical club, peer tutoring experience, and high school STEM summer programs.

Thank you to Brian Li!

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