May Spotlight: Adam Elmi
Our May spotlight is Adam Elmi. Adam shares about his research experience with North Star STEM, his pre-med journey, and his advice for balancing your schedule as a pre-health student.
The Louis Stokes North Star STEM Alliance is a partnership between the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Minnesota STEM Partnership, the Minnesota Technology Association, and 16 colleges and universities. Learn more about their mission, goals, and opportunities on the North Star STEM website.
My name is Adam, and I recently graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Society, & Environment. During undergrad I was also on the pre-med track, and worked as a student researcher in the Neuromodulation Research Center on campus.
How did you become interested in medicine?
I first became interested in medicine through doing a summer program about medical school at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine. My interest grew even more through volunteering at the Hennepin County Medical Center in its various units and getting to shadow some of their amazing physicians.
Tell us about the research you’re doing with North Star STEM! How did you find this opportunity, and what do you enjoy most about it?
I worked as a North Star STEM/MnDRIVE research fellow this past summer at the Neuromodulation Research Center.
I was first introduced to this opportunity by reading some of the newsletters on campus and decided it seemed like a great opportunity to gain some unique research experience. Working at the NMRC has been an amazing experience for me in large part to the amazing staff and faculty that are working on a diverse range of projects. It has further emboldened me to pursue medicine but also engage in clinical research in the future as well.
What campus supports and resources have you found to be the most helpful during your undergraduate career? Do you have any mentors at the University of Minnesota? If so, how did you get connected to them and how have they supported you?
I have found the Pre-Health Student Resource Center to be one of the most helpful offices on campus as they have supported my pre-med journey from my very first semester as a freshman to my current last semester as a senior. The countless workshops and courses the office has offered over the years has greatly helped in preparing me to be a strong and well rounded applicant for medical school. In addition, Fatima Omar, the former Pathways Program Manager was an amazing mentor and supporter throughout my time at the University of Minnesota and at the PHSRC. Working as a President's Emerging Scholars Program peer mentor for Pathways students under the purview of Fatima was an experience that was second to none, and helped me develop my communication skills and make meaningful connections with students on a variety of health career tracks.
How do you balance your time in the lab with your coursework and other responsibilities?
As far as balancing coursework with my other responsibilities I have found that setting a time slot to give each respective project and assignment time has made life as a student and research assistant significantly more rewarding and manageable. This also gives me time to take care of my other personal commitments with family and friends as well. My final parting advice to any students who are on the pre-health track is to definitely use the amazing resources the PHSRC has to offer and to come in with an open mind to learn and develop in ways you have always dreamed of.
Congratulations Adam, and thank you for sharing your experiences and insights!