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During my senior year of high school I served as my school’s executive treasurer. My fellow executive student government members and I coordinated a flag football game with another nearby high school and raised over $5,000 for leukemia research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

As a student at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, I observed several surgeries. During a procedure, I was able to clean two surgical steel bars that were removed from a patient who previously had Pectus Repair Surgery.

Other Humanity First OSU members and I volunteering at NNEMAP Food Pantry in Columbus, OH.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness: The diverse culture at Ohio State is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I’ve spoken with other students whose first language isn’t English, participated in multicultural club events, and been in virtual classes in which a student was currently logged in from the other side of the world. As a medical professional, I will continue to work with people from different sectors of the world, each with different cultural, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds.

During my time at Ohio State, I hope to volunteer at the Columbus Free Clinic. This student-led organization is local, but working there will prepare me for my future interactions with diverse populations. In addition, the knowledge I gain from witnessing the United States’ healthcare system at work will help me compare it to that of other countries, and help me take the necessary steps to do my part in fixing the disparities.

After I graduate from Ohio State, I plan to go to medical school and complete overseas clinical experience. In taking an elective clinical class in another country I would gain amazing experience in treating patients of different nationalities, handling ethical dilemmas, and crossing language barriers, all of which are important in any medical profession.

Later on, I hope to go on service trips or be actively involved with Doctors Without Borders. I love traveling and hope to be able to combine it with my passion for medicine. I’ve always taken an interest in learning about other cultures, and I work hard to help those who have been marginalized or are unable to receive the assistance they need. In traveling I can accomplish both, and also gain a deeper appreciation for what has shaped me and brought me to where I am.

Original Inquiry: During my undergraduate studies, I plan to research at medical facilities on campus or elsewhere in Columbus. Because of my strong interest in child development and psychology, I would love to partake in a research project at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I would also love to work with the Truth Initiative, a non-profit public health organization dedicated to ending tobacco and nicotine use among teenagers and young adults, or in a lab on campus with similar goals. My generation has been targeted by large e-cigarette companies, such as Juul, and the effects have been drastic and long-lasting. It saddens me, but more importantly motivates me to do my part in ending the trend of heavy tobacco and nicotine use.

In doing research, I will better understand what it is I’m researching, and gain more experience in both a lab and clinical setting. My experiences will also help me develop critical thinking skills, strengthen my ability to work independently and with a team, and understand the greater implications of my work.

Academic Enrichment: I am currently pursuing a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Developmental Psychology with Honors Distinction. Before I graduate from Ohio State, I will need to take several challenging science courses to fulfill requirements for my major, minor, and medical school. Although I am pursuing a science degree, I am also interested in history, comparative studies, foreign language, and more subjects that aren’t at all science-related (at least at the surface level).

Classes I will have taken before graduating–such as American Sign Language, the history of migration and immigration in the United States, and art–aren’t necessarily required for my major, minor, or medical school, but are, however, required for me to become a responsible, accountable, and intelligent member of society. The liberal arts education I receive at Ohio State will uniquely prepare me academically and socially for my future in the medical field.

Leadership Development: Throughout high school I was on student government, eventually serving as my school’s executive treasurer. While on student government, I planned school-wide events and fundraisers, monitored school morale, and managed the money made and spent by the council. I took my role as treasurer seriously while also remembering to bring fun, creative input and energy. During the summer of 2019, I interned at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center under a pediatric surgeon. Throughout my time at CCHMC, I attended academic conferences and symposiums, watched several surgeries, shadowed multiple doctors, residents, and fellows, sat in on clinic appointments, and much more.

I currently serve as the treasurer of Ohio State’s chapter of Humanity First, a student organization dedicated to advocating for human life both locally and globally. So far, I’ve been fortunate enough to build relationships with members of the community through volunteering at local food pantries and organize a small fundraiser that raised over $300 for relief efforts in Beirut, Lebanon after the devastating explosions in 2020.

I also serve as a Peer Mentor within the Arts and Sciences Honors College. Through this program I’ve been able to help new freshmen at Ohio State understand their personal struggles, both academic and social, by applying what I’ve learned from my past experiences. The process has been extremely rewarding and I have every intention of staying with the Peer Mentor program until I graduate from Ohio State.

From all of my afore mentioned experiences, I have learned first hand that the qualities of any good leader include responsibility, empathy, ingenuity, and integrity. Going forward, I intend to embody all of these principles and many more, keeping in mind the wonderful people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet through my leadership experiences.

Service Engagement: Over my four years at Ohio State, I plan to be involved in the community through volunteering. So far, I have volunteered at Buckeye Food Alliance and NNEMAP Food Pantry with other members of Humanity First and dedicated my extra time to being a Peer Mentor within the Arts and Sciences Honors College. I currently volunteer at NNEMAP Food Pantry twice a week, and hope to do so for the remainder of my time at Ohio State.

Beyond Ohio State, I would love to one day volunteer overseas on a service trip and medically serve those in most need. I’ve always had a passion for people, and I am constantly reminded of it when I volunteer and work with others. Making a difference in the lives of others will undoubtedly make a beautiful, lasting difference in mine.

About Me

My name is Emily Thaman and I am currently a sophomore at Ohio State University. I will graduate in May 2023 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Developmental Psychology with Honors Distinction. Beyond the classroom, I currently serve as a peer mentor for incoming freshmen and the treasurer of Ohio State’s chapter of Humanity First. Through working with and serving others, I find myself feeling better equipped to pursue my degree and goal of becoming a pediatric surgeon.

Having interned at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center alongside distinguished medical professionals, I’ve come to learn the power of both passion and compassion. The desires to help others, advance science, and work towards the prevention of injury and affliction are the foundation of relationships between doctors, patients, and the world. I know my experiences at Ohio State are shaping me, and helping me to become a better leader, collaborator, and friend to myself and others, so that I may go out into the world and fulfill my passions.

In my spare time, I enjoy being active and outside, listening to music, and hanging out with friends and family. My personal community constantly reminds me to be myself and appreciate the many blessings that have come my way.