Lilly Anderson '22Medicine

Name: Lilly Anderson
Graduation Year: 2022
Major: English

Story: I had a really difficult time deciding my career path because I love both the sciences
and the humanities! I decided to become an English major while also taking all the pre-med
required classes. After volunteering at the Saint Peter Free Clinic and shadowing medical
practitioners during the J-term career exploration class, I became more certain that the medical
field is where I wanted to be. I loved the network of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses,
social workers, translators, and volunteers who were supporting their communities and working
hard to make them more equitable and healthy. One of my favorite parts about English classes
is learning about society and the people in it, which I realized is also an integral part of
medicine. I am excited to become a physician where I can continuously combine my love of the
humanities and the sciences.

Top Five Activities/Experiences: (in no particular order)
1. Tutor at the Gustavus Writing Center
2. Front desk volunteer at the Saint Peter Community Free Clinic
3. Summer jobs in childcare
4. Shadowing in the J-term career exploration course
5. Sports teams, such as the swim and dive team and the club tennis team

Advice:
1. I recommend choosing experiences that you are passionate about and spend quality time
doing those activities. Being an English major and a Writing Center tutor felt like atypical
experiences, but because I was so passionate about them, I was able to devote a lot of energy
to those experiences and find great value from them. I learned communication skills, emotional
intelligence, team work, problem solving, and more. The science part of health care is really
important, but so is connecting with people, learning about society, thinking creatively,
advocating for others, and having drive and dedication toward what you are doing. I believe
experiences that encourage these are highly valuable.

2. Ask for help! During my second semester of organic chemistry, I would almost always stay
after class to ask questions about the material. Even if I wasn’t confused, I would ask questions
that I was curious about or wanted clarification on. As a result, I was able to form a great
relationship with that professor. Asking for help is an easy way to start forming connections with
professors, faculty, and peers, which are highly valuable. As a former Writing Center tutor, I also
strongly suggest going there for help! You can book an appointment during any and all stages of
any application you are working on! It is a great place to go!

3. Develop specific values and goals for your life and career, and understand how a job in the health field contributes to those goals. I spent a lot of time working on being able to articulate why I want to go into medicine, what type of physician I aim to be, and how I envision myself contributing to people’s lives and communities’ health. Having confident answers to these questions was extremely helpful in my application and interview, and now it fuels my desire to continue working hard in medical school and beyond. 

Future Plans:
I will be attending the University of Minnesota Medical School- Duluth campus, starting Fall
2023.