Kat Dahl '14

Photo of Kat Dahl

Name: Kat Dahl


Graduating Class: 2014

Major: Biology


Your Story:


My name is Kat Dahl, and I am a senior at Gustavus Adolphus College. I grew up on a farm in Luverne, MN. As cheesy as it sounds, I chose to attend Gustavus because I had a good feeling that it would be the perfect fit for me. It turns out that my intuition was right. Gusties are a passionate, well-rounded, hardworking, goofy, and unique breed of people that I am honored to be a part of. I love the strong emphasis placed on community on campus; my classmates and professors inspire me to be a better person every single day.


My mother is a family physician in Luverne. She sees patients in the clinic, works shifts in the emergency department, and maintains an obstetrics practice. By observing my mother’s work, I have learned a great deal about the field of medicine. Even so, I entered college planning to be a Secondary Math Education major. In my first semester I fell in love with General Chemistry (crazy, right?). I decided to take more science classes and found my true passion was in biology. After exploring possible career paths, I came to the conclusion that I would love to have a career like my mother’s. From that point on, I began a pre-medical curriculum and was committed to pursuing a career in medicine.


The people I have met at Gustavus have by far been the most influential in confirming my pre-medicine path. The students I have met in my classes are exceptional. Studying until the wee hours of the morning allowed me to make long-lasting, incredible friendships. The professors, advisors, and mentors I have met through Gustavus have been nothing but encouraging and have helped me every step of the way.


Class Schedule (Click to view PDF)


Top Five Activities/Experiences:

  • Gustavus Women’s Softball
  • Student Athlete Volunteer Educators
  • Pre-Health Club
  • Research in lab of Dr. Margaret Bloch-Qazi
  • Scandinavian Olympic Quest (study abroad J-term)

Advice:

  • If you want to study abroad, do it sooner rather than later. Applying to medical school is an extensive process and it is much easier to plan and prepare for while you’re in the country (especially if you don’t want to take a gap year). Even so, don’t let applying to medical school prevent you from studying abroad. Anything you can do to increase your exposure to diverse people will give you experiences to talk about in your interviews.
  • RELAX. Life happens. Don’t stress out over an A- or a bad test score. Medical schools are looking for well-rounded, down-to-earth individuals. It’s not possible to be perfect, so don’t waste your time trying to be.
  • Make sure you surround yourself with a strong support system. Applying to medical school is not easy, and you’re going to need people around you to help you when bumps come along and celebrate with you when you finally get in!

Future Plans:

Attending University of Minnesota Duluth Medical School, starting Fall of 2014.


Updated 7/3/2014 HB