It was his class in anatomy and physiology in 2012, senior year at DePaul Catholic High School, that first peaked Joshua’s interest in medicine. Thanks to that experience, he decided to major in Biology as a pre-med student at the University of Scranton. After graduating in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree, he was determined to become a physician.
While he prepared for the MCATs (Medical College Admission Test), he took a full-time job as a nurse’s aide in the intensive care unit of a Wilkes-Barre, PA hospital. During this time, he also served as a Spanish translator for many patients. He became increasingly enamored of primary care as he worked closely with every member of the medical team.
“Many patients were from immigrant families,” said Joshua, “and I learned a great deal about their lives. They reminded me of my own family’s Peruvian roots and what they had to overcome. It was impressive.”
In 2017, he moved back to New Jersey to become a medical scribe for an orthopedic surgeon for a year, another assignment he totally enjoyed. Each new job served to further his determination to obtain his medical degree. Hoping to increase his chances to be accepted at medical school, he attended Rutgers Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences 2018-2020 and earned a master’s in biology. That summer he did a summer internship at Pfizer as a Medical Affairs Associate. Determined to succeed the third time he took the MCATs, he achieved the scores he wanted and was accepted by Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway. Five months into his freshman year, Joshua now feels he has a handle on medical school and is looking forward to completing his medical degree. He intends to specialize in primary care or sports medicine.
Said Joshua, ““Tri-County allowed me to receive a well-rounded education at DePaul, which sparked my interest in medicine and enabled me to be successful at the University of Scranton. I want to say thank you to the Tri-County donors, who gave me an invaluable opportunity. The Tri-County Scholarship Fund also has given my sister Izabella, now a senior at DePaul, the same opportunity. Our family truly appreciates everything you have done for us.”
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