Hello, my name is Katie Li, and I am from Clarksville, TN. I am a first-generation student, and I am considering pursuing a biology major and a global health minor. As a child, I have always been fascinated by the healthcare field. I grew up having experienced major and minor health scares ranging from needing to remove multiple cavities to tonsil removal surgery. I was always well taken care of by the healthcare professionals who worked with me, and I developed a passion for caring for others as they did for me. In the summer of my junior year, I had the privilege of volunteering at my local hospital for a month. In this hands-on environment, I interacted with patients, which furthered my desire to be directly involved with patient care.
I plan to pursue dentistry, which I am interested in due to my own experience. As a child, I had multiple cavities and a major surgery where multiple teeth were extracted. Subsequently, I also had teeth alignment issues that required the implementation of spring aligners. And most recently, I had 4 of my wisdom teeth removed. Dental and oral health is often an overlooked part of healthcare. I hope to pursue a career in fostering self-awareness around oral hygiene and providing dental care in areas without readily available resources.
While at Duke, I look forward to gaining more experience in my field of interest and other healthcare fields through shadowing and volunteering opportunities in clubs and student organizations. In pursuing my academic discipline of biology and global health, I want to understand better the healthcare system and how I can contribute to improving it.
“Being a Cardea Fellow provided me with a space in which like-minded individuals come together to support one another in their healthcare endeavors. Having been able to receive guidance early on in my prehealth journey has been helpful for me and my fellow Cardeas in pursuit of our career interests. ”
