CAS CONNECT 2019

Thinking Ahead The sky’s the limit for this future doctor with chemistry and physics degrees K ylie Hagerdon didn’t start at OSU on the pre-med path, but by the time she graduated in spring 2019, she had an $80,000 merit-based scholarship to the University of Oklahoma’s College of Medicine in Oklahoma City. The Choctaw, Oklahoma, native began as a physics and chemical engineering major with a passion for helping people. She discovered she really enjoyed the chemistry portion of her program and wanted to focus on that, combining it with physics. But what kind of career could she have with a double degree in chemistry and physics? Then she began volunteering at Stillwater Medical Center, and it became clear: She wanted to go to medical school. “That’s where I fell in love with the atmosphere, the problem-solving aspects of medicine,” Hagerdon said. “The entire essence of medicine kind of drewme in.” Chemistry majors are among the most highly accepted applicants to medical school as the program prepares students to think critically and exposes them to lab sciences. Adding a physics degree gave Hagerdon a different perspective. Through physics, she learned how to connect ideas with reality and find the best solution. This combination made her an attractive candidate for medical school. “In the application process, they will recognize that Kylie is good at critical thinking and problem- solving based on her academic background,” said Dave McIlroy, head of the Department of Physics. “Being a physician requires you to get analytical information from the patient, and sometimes that includes problem-solving to understand what issues a patient has and how to address them.” Hagerdon knew the importance of involvement outside of the classroom and took part in numerous organizations on campus and volunteered every chance she could. In the classroom, she thrived in STORY LONNA FRESHLEY | PHOTO JASON WALLACE both programs and through the Honors College. She enjoyed the complexity of the subjects and the connections chemistry and physics offered. “That kind of knowledge is going to help me tremendously when thinking about pharmaceuticals or neurology,” Hagerdon said. Both chemistry and physics are male- dominated areas of study, which forced her to speak up for herself. There were instances where her opinions in classrooms were dismissed, but Hagerdon believes that experience will serve her well in the medical field. “Working in these fields, I have gained confidence that I knowwhat I’m talking about,” Hagerdon said. “So I am really grateful that physics and chemistry has given me that background. It’ll continue in medicine, especially when I am expected to have the confidence to not only talk to my patients in a manner that sounds thorough, but also to my colleagues — and that is something that is important for women in all male-dominated fields.” Hagerdon utilized OSU’s campus resources to start her medical school application process. She made appointments with Career Services to pick apart her résumé and discuss the pros and cons of different medical schools. At the pre-professional office, staffers helped her start her application and gave her tips on how to stand out among the numerous applicants. “Career Services was instrumental not only to my path, but why my path mattered, and that was really important,” Hagerdon said. “All the professors, the advisors and the pre-professional office at OSUwere there to help me find my voice. Especially coming from science, where we may not all be good at finding our voice and putting it on paper, they really helped me and made a huge difference.” Hagerdon is already making plans for after medical school. She hopes to have a focus in neurology and be involved in policy making and 20 CONNECT 201 9