Medical School Aspiration Fund
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Sovannarath Pong and I am a post-lung transplant patient. My long-term goal is to enroll in a MD/Ph.D. program with a focus on neuropsychiatry or neurovascular biology. I am planning to apply to medical schools in the upcoming summer of 2020. However, the medical school application process requires multiple steps and careful preparations that can be expensive. Thus, I am asking for your generosity and raising money to help cover the costs for my MCAT preparation, medical school applications, and interviews.
When I was 9 years old, I moved to the United States from Cambodia with my mother and two older siblings. We hoped to seek better treatment for my illness and a better life. However, my illness deteriorated for a time and with my limited English skills, I struggled to keep up in school. As a first-generation immigrant family, these challenges were further magnified as I was keenly aware of my mother and her struggling efforts to provide for us. At Bowdoin College, as a first-generation college student, I understood how important and how meaningful it was to my family for me to succeed there. So, I continued to work hard and challenged myself academically by exploring research opportunities. With this mindset, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry with Honors.
As having been raised in Cambodia as well as in the United States, I understand how fortunate I am to be here and to be able to receive all the care that I need. Being also raised in Lynn, a poor community on the outskirts of the Massachusetts’ North Shore, I understand that not everyone here has equal access to health care. Having experienced a life-threatening illness in my early childhood as well as being raised in two different underserved communities made me want to pursue a career in medicine and commit to serving these types of communities. That is why I am continuing to explore my interest in medicine by working as a research assistant at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital. My research involves using stem cells to better understand pathological mechanisms in schizophrenia. My interest in mental health stems from the fact that many Cambodian immigrants including my mother suffer from post-war experiences.
When my family and I left our homeland of Cambodia, we sought the American Dream and a better life for all of us. We worked hard, but we know that our successes are not entirely dependent on ourselves. We succeeded together with the help and kindness of others. Like my role models in medicine, I hope to one day help the next pre-medical student that is in my similar shoes. Thank you so much for your support in helping me achieve my next goal.
My very best,
Sovannarath Pong
When I was 9 years old, I moved to the United States from Cambodia with my mother and two older siblings. We hoped to seek better treatment for my illness and a better life. However, my illness deteriorated for a time and with my limited English skills, I struggled to keep up in school. As a first-generation immigrant family, these challenges were further magnified as I was keenly aware of my mother and her struggling efforts to provide for us. At Bowdoin College, as a first-generation college student, I understood how important and how meaningful it was to my family for me to succeed there. So, I continued to work hard and challenged myself academically by exploring research opportunities. With this mindset, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry with Honors.
As having been raised in Cambodia as well as in the United States, I understand how fortunate I am to be here and to be able to receive all the care that I need. Being also raised in Lynn, a poor community on the outskirts of the Massachusetts’ North Shore, I understand that not everyone here has equal access to health care. Having experienced a life-threatening illness in my early childhood as well as being raised in two different underserved communities made me want to pursue a career in medicine and commit to serving these types of communities. That is why I am continuing to explore my interest in medicine by working as a research assistant at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital. My research involves using stem cells to better understand pathological mechanisms in schizophrenia. My interest in mental health stems from the fact that many Cambodian immigrants including my mother suffer from post-war experiences.
When my family and I left our homeland of Cambodia, we sought the American Dream and a better life for all of us. We worked hard, but we know that our successes are not entirely dependent on ourselves. We succeeded together with the help and kindness of others. Like my role models in medicine, I hope to one day help the next pre-medical student that is in my similar shoes. Thank you so much for your support in helping me achieve my next goal.
My very best,
Sovannarath Pong
Organizer
Sovannarath Pong
Organizer
Lynn, MA
