Michael Manns

In high school, I joined a health science internship program where I was given the opportunity to shadow various health professionals at an Alzheimer’s memory center and our local hospital. Still unsure whether a career in healthcare was right for me, the genuine interactions I witnessed between doctors and patients ultimately revealed a raw side of humanity that solidified my yearning to become a doctor. For eight years now, music has also played a significant role in my life and influenced my interest in medicine. My time spent as principal Bassoonist in concert band and orchestra, in addition to Drum Major of a three-hundred member marching band, have each taught me the importance of collaborative environments and diverse communities. Whether it meant volunteering at a nursing home with friends or spending weekends feeding the homeless, being able to serve my community has always been important to me. In fact, it is because of the lessons and fulfillment I experienced as a mentor to local middle school Bassoonists that I find myself drawn to a specialty in Pediatrics today. Here at Duke, I am currently an active member of the Chamber Music program where I get to nurture my love for music in a woodwind quartet. By continuing to explore the array of research, healthcare, volunteer, and identity organizations the university has to offer, I hope to further my path to self discovery as I find the right career choice for me.