Student Profiles

We are very proud of what are students accomplish during medical school.  Below we have highlighted just a few of our remarkable students.  Come back regularly to see new stories about our students!

Conquering the Downhill Battle
As an adaptive ski instructor, Dan DeNoble helps those with intellectual and physical disabilities overcome obstacles and find joy on the slopes.

For more than 25 years, the Arise and Ski program in Syracuse has made skiing accessible for people with physical and developmental challenges, pairing experienced ski volunteers with those needing assistance.  Fourth-year medical student Dan DeNoble '24 has volunteered with the program for more than a decade... Read more>>

 

Charting Her Own Course
Hannah Connolly wants to impact Health Inequities by changing the way medical students learn.

The road to becoming a physician is long, and one that most students seek to expedite rather than expand on.  But Hannah Connolly '24 has never let the lack of an established path stop her... Read more>>

 

External Support
Upstate MD/PHD Students receive prestigious fellowships to forward their doctoral research.

In any academic environment, external grants are vital to funding research.  For graduate students, the ability to secure their own funding-through a grant or fellowship-can signify a student's promise as an independent scientist... Read more>>

 

Finding Community
A Chronic Illness spurs medical student Nicole Spencer '25 to provide support for others.

As a first-year medical student, Nicole Spencer '25 never imagined becoming a patient herself.  But shortly after she began her medical studies, Spencer began suffering episodes of dizziness and heart palpitations.  She was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) ...Read more>>

 

Walking with Purpose
Nneka Onwumere '24 created a Mother's Day gift she hopes will keep giving.

On Mother's Day, a group of walkers traversed through downtown Syracuse to raise money for brain cancer research.  Participants in the inaugural Upstate Brain Cancer Research Walk, which began on the Syracuse University campus and ended at the Upstate Cancer Center, were mostly family members of those impacted by brain cancer...Read more>>

 

Think Globally, Acting Locally
Medical student Alyssa Purdy has made global health a focal point of her medical education.

Every Tuesday, a medical team from Upstate Medical University conducts COVID-19 screenings for new Americans and refugees resettling in Syracuse.  For medical students like Alyssa Purdy '22, volunteering to assist newly resettled refugees provides a global health experience in her own backyard.  Read more>>

 

Admission Granted
Upstate students offer keys to success in applying to Medical School through a new podcast.

Andrea Price '24 and John Cote '24 are talking about their paths to medical school.  For Cote, it was volunteering at a local hospital during college that solidified this desire.  Read more>>

Telling Stories
For Mallory Rowely '23, practicing medicine and writing about it are deeply intertwined.

Facing cancer is a life-altering experience, one marked by uncertainty, fear, and isolation.  But for some patients, writing about their experiences and feelings provides a powerful coping outlet.  Read more>>


A Soundtrack for Medical School
For Alan He '24, Music and Medicine are complementary pursuits.

Jessical Astudillo

After a long day of classes or a grueling exam, you're likely to find first-year medical student Tianfang "Alan" He at his computer composing electronic music.  Or perhaps jamming out to some Jimi Hendrix.  For as long as he can remember, music has been his passion.  Read more>>

 

Dreaming for Change
Upstate DACA student Jessica Astudillo '21 hopes to complete her residency in the US

Jessical Astudillo

While many view the November election as the most important of their lifetime, the stakes are higher for some than others, including the estimated 699,350 "Dreamers" whose status in the United States is dependent on protection from DACA.  Read more>>