Nikol Trajkovski

Biomedical Engineering

I was born in Lima, Peru, and then moved around South America with my immediate family to Uruguay and Paraguay. In high school, I was convinced that I would be a doctor and that my major would be something like Biology or Chemistry, which I loved. That was when I discovered physics. I had always loved math (hence why I’m a TA for the Math Department), but nothing prepared me for how fascinating physics was. I guess I dug myself into a hole. That's when I discovered biomedical engineering, which overlaps all the subjects I love. The engineering program at Duke taught me how to become a creator; it's not about the amount of information you can learn and memorize but how you apply it in new, innovative ways. 

I'm currently doing research at the McNulty lab in the Duke Health Orthopedics department, an opportunity that has taught me how complex yet rewarding research can be. I've also shadowed two doctors in Asuncion, Paraguay, and have documented my time there. This highlighted the overlap and the differences in the healthcare system back home and in the US. I’ve recently started volunteering at the Duke Hospital and will continue due to the pleasant experience. In my free time, I love reading, drawing, and painting. I love sitting in the Duke Gardens with a notebook and colored pencils to relax and take a breather. 

I'm considering an MD/Ph.D. program in Biomedical Engineering to try to marry my love of medicine with that of creation. As for what type of doctor I want to become, I'm not sure. I've still have time to find out. However, I do know that I find the creation of CRISPR constructs and orthopedics incredibly interesting. I'm not sure what the future holds, but I'm really excited to find out.