Spotlight: Cherilyn Song – Health Careers Mentorship Program

Tell us about yourself:
My name is Cherilyn Song. I am a senior,
biochemistry major, and I am involved in
Best Buddies, being a UGTA for
biostatistics, and as a hospice volunteer.

My favorite part of HCMP has definitely
got to be the close-knit group of
members. Even though we’re all on the
same path to medical school, there’s
not a single person I’ve met who hasn’t
been willing to offer support and
encouragement for the stresses of being
pre-med. There’s no sense of
competition or hostility and everyone
genuinely cares about seeing each other
succeed, never hesitating to offer
insight or advice.

I’ve always wanted to be a doctor since I was younger, but due to some extenuating circumstances, I didn’t always have access to necessary healthcare. I had always felt overwhelmed and intimidated by the idea of becoming a physician, due to the limited exposure that I’d personally had to healthcare. However, since shadowing for Dr. Shaw, (a urologist) I have gained a greater confidence in myself and my abilities. He allowed me to actively participate in assisting him in over ten vasectomies in one day, having faith in my abilities and patiently teaching me about the procedure until I was completely comfortable. He showed a kindness towards me that I had never experienced from a physician before, going above and beyond any of my expectations- he even offered me a job at his practice! HCMP allowed me to meet Dr. Shaw, as well as form many other valuable connections with physicians who have played a significant role in solidifying my desire to become a physician myself.

I love to cook for my friends, especially Korean food! I also enjoy going skiing during winter and spring breaks, watching Grey’s Anatomy, and trying new ice cream flavors.