June Student of the Month: Michelle Esse

Hi everyone, my name is Michelle Esse, and I am graduating this spring as a Global Disease Biology major with minors in Medical Humanities & Public Health. Within my first quarter at UC Davis, I was already convinced to switch into the Global Disease Biology major. I loved how integrative the program was - I could imagine myself in many different career paths working towards the same goal of advancing healthcare. It provided a strong foundation in the sciences, which I loved, but also a holistic understanding of what shapes community health. This was crucial for me, as a Nigerian-American pursuing both medicine and research; the background GDB uniquely provides allowed me to see myself and my family members who have unique healthcare struggles within the scope of research. This initial understanding cultivated through the GDB program pushed me to pursue a Medical Humanities minor through the Quarter at Aggie Square Program, as well as a Public Health minor that provided an epidemiological foundation for my research interests in reproductive health.

Outside of the GDB major, I am heavily involved in the Imani Clinic as the Administrator and Women's & Gender Health Specialty Clinic Coordinator. I also work as a clinical research assistant in the Hussain Lab, studying occupational cancer risk in firefighters. I am rounding out my GDB Practicum project in the Hammock Lab on two enzymes of interest, where I get to apply many of the skills I have learned in this major. I am currently deciding between UC Berkeley, UCLA, Duke University, and Vanderbilt University for my Master's in Public Health, where I hope to further advance my clinical research skills before becoming a physician-epidemiologist. Ultimately, the foundation of GDB will set me up to succeed, and for that, I am forever thankful!