Conrad Sharp
2027
Wellington, New Zealand
Biology
Hello! My name is Conrad Sharp, and I am a pre-medical freshman student at Duke University. I am currently hoping to major in Biology and working to gain hands-on clinical experience while attending Duke. I love being able to take advantage of everything that Duke has to offer and am a firm believer that a healthy body is a healthy mind, and so I exercise and stay fit at Duke’s gyms and as an outside hitter on the Duke Men's Club Volleyball Team.
I have completed multiple papers and studies on global health trends, including a paper on the observed rates of alcohol consumption and its relationship with liver cirrhosis related deaths, and another on the observed mortality rates due to unsafe water consumption and its relationship with GDP. I have also completed a laboratory study on the calcium content of different milks and the effects of temperature on their calcium’s solubility, with the aim of better understanding human intake of the mineral.
Beyond academics, I am fortunate to have had real-world experience in the medical and first-response field. I am certified as a NOLS wilderness first aid responder and currently work as a Wilderness Hotshot Firefighter. As a wildland firefighter, I have been exposed to the intensity and rigour of being a first responder in potentially dangerous and extreme environments, and have learned many important things about myself and the nature of the medical profession.
I have been determined to excel as a surgeon ever since I was a child, after experiencing first-hand the true good a surgeon can create both on and beyond the surgery table. One day I hope to do the same within underserved communities that lack the resources more prosperous areas have. I want to be deeply involved in new environments and surrounded by people that push me to achieve and grow into the best future medical practitioner and person I can be. Whether overseas or right here in Durham, I cannot wait to become a force for good in the medical field and leave the world a better place than I found it.
“I am new to being a Cardea Fellow, but I am excited to be involved in a diverse and supportive community that uplifts one another. I am also excited to be surrounded by so many people that share a love for the medical field and the wonderful things that can be achieved within it!”