Dis-Orientation Guide 2022-23

Hello, everyone, and welcome to WashU! My name is Madeleine and I graduated from Oregon State University in 2020 with a degree in Biology. I’ve spent most of my life on the West Coast, and I had never been to St. Louis before I moved here. I was nervous about moving so far from home, but the Dis-O Guide was comforting and helped me adjust to my new life. In fact, it was such a great resource that I jumped at the opportunity to be an editor when it was my class’s turn to write the guide! When I’m not on campus, you can find me hanging out with friends in Forest Park, watching Netflix with my cat, Bubba, or playing pickleball at Tower Grove Park!

Hello! My name is Tiffany, and I am originally from Michigan. I went to the University of Michigan where I studied Spanish and Neuroscience. My favorite things to do outside of med school are climbing, playing tennis, crocheting, movie/dinner nights with friends, and long walks in Forest Park! Welcome to WashU and don’t be a stranger if you see me here next year! 

Welcome to WashU and the magnificent city of St. Louis! My name is Isabella G. and I’m the first-year Class President for my cohort, as well as one of the editors-in-chief of the Dis-O Guide. Being at WashU has enriched my life in countless ways, but none more so than introducing me to a passionate, thoughtful group of peers. While a paper booklet certainly can’t communicate the amount of joy and support you’ll experience in this program, we hope this guide — which features many of our classmates’ thoughts and perspectives — illustrates how much we’ve enjoyed our time here. We hope you’ll have a chance to love it too!

Hey, congrats on whatever part of the application process you are on! My name is Tim, and I majored in Biology and History at Boston College. At WashU, I’ve gotten really lucky to be involved in student government, research, and the Dis-O Guide, which is what you are reading right now! I remember falling in love with WashU as an applicant through reading all the authentic pieces in the Dis-O Guide, and I hope you will too.

Welcome to WashU! We’re excited to see that you’re checking out the Dis-O Guide and hope we’ll eventually meet you as a fellow med student. I’m Fiona from Toronto, Canada, although home has been Macau, Baltimore, New York, and now St. Louis. I studied Neuroscience and History at Hopkins before completing a Master’s in Bioethics at Harvard. WashU’s emphasis on community engagement and health equity was what first drew me to the school, but the deciding factor was really the amazing people I met here during the application process. When I’m not (literally) flipping Anki cards with friends, you can find me at the local climbing gym or squirrel-watching in Forest Park.  

Welcome to St. Louis! My name is Haewon and I’m originally from Columbus, Ohio. I graduated in 2021 with degrees in Computer Science and Biology right here at WashU, and I’m part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at WashU. Outside of school and research, my hobbies include making bad Bob Ross paintings, running the Forest Park trails, and pursuing the best ramen in St. Louis (not sure if I’ve found it yet). The past Dis-O Guide was incredibly helpful to me in making my medical school decision, and I hope this one will serve you well too.

Hey guys! I’m Wendy from Philadelphia (actually a bit outside of Philly but if you know where Malvern, Pennsylvania is, I would be really shocked). I graduated from Swarthmore College and took two gap years afterwards to do research and apply to med school. It was at this time that I stumbled upon the Dis-O Guide, thereby changing my life forever … and now I’m here at WashU, experiencing the actual things that my upperclassmen wrote about in their Dis-O Guide! My hobbies include sleeping, eating, and going to Target.

Hello, everyone, and welcome to WashU! My name is Madeleine and I graduated from Oregon State University in 2020 with a degree in Biology. I’ve spent most of my life on the West Coast, and I had never been to St. Louis before I moved here. I was nervous about moving so far from home, but the Dis-O Guide was comforting and helped me adjust to my new life. In fact, it was such a great resource that I jumped at the opportunity to be an editor when it was my class’s turn to write the guide! When I’m not on campus, you can find me hanging out with friends in Forest Park, watching Netflix with my cat, Bubba, or playing pickleball at Tower Grove Park!

Hello! My name is Tiffany, and I am originally from Michigan. I went to the University of Michigan where I studied Spanish and Neuroscience. My favorite things to do outside of med school are climbing, playing tennis, crocheting, movie/dinner nights with friends, and long walks in Forest Park! Welcome to WashU and don’t be a stranger if you see me here next year! 

Hello and welcome to WashU! My name is Amdiel and I am from Boyds, Maryland (about 45 minutes outside of Washington, D.C.). I graduated from Cornell University in 2018 and worked as a medical assistant for three years before coming to WashU. I really like cooking, and spending time in the Botanical Gardens. However, most importantly, I love to venture around town for the best donut spot in St. Louis. Welcome to the school and enjoy your time in St. Louis!

Hi! My name is Maida and I am originally from St. Louis! I did my undergrad at the University of Toronto, majoring in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology, with a minor in Psychology. While I was unsure about returning to St. Louis for medical school because I loved being away from home, I’ve found the transition to be easy and my classmates at WashU to be absolutely incredible. When I’m not studying, you’ll find me going for walks in Forest Park with friends, listening to music, exploring St. Louis, and tending to my succulents! I found the Dis-O Guide to be a great resource when deciding to come back to St. Louis and I hope it’s helpful for you too!

Hi, everyone! Huge congratulations to you for completing a challenging application process, and welcome to WashU Med! My name is Mimi, and I’m from Southern California. I attended UCLA c/o 2020, earning a B.S. in Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, and took one gap year. In my free time, I love to play music, watch TV shows, and play video games with my friends. I remember being in your shoes, and thought that the Dis-O Guide was a great resource for de-mystifying WashU, the Central West End, and the city of St. Louis. We’re so excited to welcome you all and can’t wait to show you around!

Welcome to WashU and the magnificent city of St. Louis! My name is Isabella G. and I’m the first-year Class President for my cohort, as well as one of the editors-in-chief of the Dis-O Guide. Being at WashU has enriched my life in countless ways, but none more so than introducing me to a passionate, thoughtful group of peers. While a paper booklet certainly can’t communicate the amount of joy and support you’ll experience in this program, we hope this guide — which features many of our classmates’ thoughts and perspectives — illustrates how much we’ve enjoyed our time here. We hope you’ll have a chance to love it too!

Hey, congrats on whatever part of the application process you are on! My name is Tim, and I majored in Biology and History at Boston College. At WashU, I’ve gotten really lucky to be involved in student government, research, and the Dis-O Guide, which is what you are reading right now! I remember falling in love with WashU as an applicant through reading all the authentic pieces in the Dis-O Guide, and I hope you will too.

Hi, my name is Aseeyah and I’m originally from the Atlanta metropolitan area (studied ChemE at Georgia Tech!), but St. Louis is my current home for these four years of medical school. I feel so blessed to be here, not just for my career but for the lovely human beings I get to know while I’m here. I hope that their perspectives throughout this guide will give you a better understanding of just how diverse, open-minded, and inspiring this community is, and hopefully make you more excited to join us here at WashU! 

Hello! My name is Dylan, and I am from Iowa City, Iowa. I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2021 with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and moved to St. Louis for medical school a few months later. In my spare time I love watching football, playing fantasy football, running, playing disc golf, and exploring St. Louis. We’re so excited to share this year’s edition of the Dis-O Guide and can’t wait to meet all of you at WashU!

Congratulations on your invitation to join the WashU family! We are so excited to hear that you are considering our school and sincerely hope that the Dis-O Guide will help solidify your decision. My name is Lyra and I attended the University of Maryland where I obtained a dual degree in Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics and Economics. I then conducted immunology research at the NIH for two years prior to starting the MSTP at WashU. I grew up in Eastern Europe and Africa before moving to the U.S. in high school, so I have lived in many different cities and was excited to explore St. Louis and edit the Life in St. Louis section. There is a diverse array of restaurants from Bosnian to Ethiopian, and cute little coffee shops tucked away in corners all over the city. I hope you find the Dis-O Guide as helpful as we did, and that we get to meet you at WashU next summer!

Welcome to WashU! We’re excited to see that you’re checking out the Dis-O Guide and hope we’ll eventually meet you as a fellow med student. I’m Fiona from Toronto, Canada, although home has been Macau, Baltimore, New York, and now St. Louis. I studied Neuroscience and History at Hopkins before completing a Master’s in Bioethics at Harvard. WashU’s emphasis on community engagement and health equity was what first drew me to the school, but the deciding factor was really the amazing people I met here during the application process. When I’m not (literally) flipping Anki cards with friends, you can find me at the local climbing gym or squirrel-watching in Forest Park.  

Hi, everyone! My name is Sienna, and I’m from Boulder, Colorado. I went to WashU for undergrad and majored in Anthropology. After college, I spent a year serving with AmeriCorps and working with kids. In my free time, I love painting, listening to true crime podcasts, seeing musicals at the MUNY, and taking long walks in the park. I hope you enjoy this Dis-O Guide, and I can’t wait to meet you next year!

Welcome to St. Louis! My name is Haewon and I’m originally from Columbus, Ohio. I graduated in 2021 with degrees in Computer Science and Biology right here at WashU, and I’m part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at WashU. Outside of school and research, my hobbies include making bad Bob Ross paintings, running the Forest Park trails, and pursuing the best ramen in St. Louis (not sure if I’ve found it yet). The past Dis-O Guide was incredibly helpful to me in making my medical school decision, and I hope this one will serve you well too.

Hey guys! I’m Wendy from Philadelphia (actually a bit outside of Philly but if you know where Malvern, Pennsylvania is, I would be really shocked). I graduated from Swarthmore College and took two gap years afterwards to do research and apply to med school. It was at this time that I stumbled upon the Dis-O Guide, thereby changing my life forever … and now I’m here at WashU, experiencing the actual things that my upperclassmen wrote about in their Dis-O Guide! My hobbies include sleeping, eating, and going to Target.

Hello, my name is Jonathan and I’m from Northville, Michigan. I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 and went straight through to WashU. My hobbies include rock climbing, tennis, running, drawing, and napping. I hope the Dis-O Guide helps give you a glimpse into the amazing community here at WashU!

Hi, everyone! Huge congratulations to you for completing a challenging application process, and welcome to WashU Med! My name is Mimi, and I’m from Southern California. I attended UCLA c/o 2020, earning a B.S. in Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, and took one gap year. In my free time, I love to play music, watch TV shows, and play video games with my friends. I remember being in your shoes, and thought that the Dis-O Guide was a great resource for de-mystifying WashU, the Central West End, and the city of St. Louis. We’re so excited to welcome you all and can’t wait to show you around!

Hello, my name is Jonathan and I’m from Northville, Michigan. I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 and went straight through to WashU. My hobbies include rock climbing, tennis, running, drawing, and napping. I hope the Dis-O Guide helps give you a glimpse into the amazing community here at WashU!