Conrad Sharp

Evolutionary Anthropology

My name is Conrad Sharp, and I am a pre-medical junior student at Duke University. I am majoring in Evolutionary Anthropology and am working to gain hands-on clinical experience while attending Duke. I am a proud Brother of the Iota Xi chapter of the historically black fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi on campus, and I love being able to take advantage of everything that Duke has to offer. I am also a firm believer that a healthy body is a healthy mind, and so I exercise and stay fit at Duke’s gyms and represent the university as a winger on the Duke Men’s Rugby Team.
    
Since studying at Duke, I have been involved in the publication of two scientific papers; the first focusing on AI modeling of MRI scans to find meningiomas in the brain, and the second on treating neonatal abstinence syndrome with clonidine. The latter is currently the largest ever analysis of clonidine usage across NICUs in the United States and was made possible by the Duke STAR program.
    
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 with the Tatanka Hotshots. As a wildland firefighter, I have been exposed to the intensity and rigor of first response in 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.