Scott is a mechanical engineer doing design and prototyping of medical devices for a well-known scientific supplier and service provider. 奥利维亚 is a physician pursuing a career in neurology and 杰克 works in the histology department of a large medical clinic. 在完成博士学位后，Blaide在一家生命科学咨询公司工作.D., while 卡森 is finishing his undergraduate studies and making connections for a career in the sports industry.

虽然每个人都选择了不同的职业道路, 这五个人的共同点是他们都是澳门正规博彩十大排行平台的校友 稀有学者计划. 成立于2018年，旨在为美国政府提供资金支持.S. 患有一种罕见遗传疾病的大学生——现在包括软骨发育不全, 板条疾病, A型血友病, mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) and phenylketonuria (PKU) – RARE Scholars has awarded more than $100,为22名学生提供1万英镑的奖学金.

由于2024-25项目的申请窗口将于4月5日关闭, 澳门正规博彩十大排行平台找到斯科特了, 卡森, 奥利维亚, 杰克 and Blaide to learn more about what they’re up to and ask them how the 稀有学者计划 has helped them pursue their career goals.

Scott Cavanagh带来了设计医疗设备的第一手经验

Scott completed his studies in mechanical engineering at the University of Washington in 2022. He’s now putting his degree to use as a mechanical engineer doing early prototyping and product design at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Scott says living with a form of mucopolysaccharidosis known as Morquio A (MPS IVA) and spending significant time in hospitals over the years inspired him to design more patient-friendly medical devices.

“成长, 我能够亲眼看到医疗设备在病人端可以改进的地方,他说. “有了这个独特的背景，我希望能够在医疗设备上进行创新.”

Scott spends his free time doing woodwork, having dinner with friends and walking his dog. He credits the 稀有学者计划 with helping him find his footing in college and encouraging him to pursue his career track.

“The RARE Scholars scholarship gave me the reassurance that I belonged at such a large university,斯科特说。. “The support it gave me allowed me to confidently pursue a career in medical technologies, 我希望在哪里回馈罕见病社区.”

卡森·库克在体育事业上大踏步前进

卡森 – the only four-time recipient of a RARE Scholars award – is on the verge of finishing his senior year at San Diego State University, 他在那里学习新闻学辅修历史和市场营销.

课堂外, the highlight of his college journey has been volunteering with the SDSU men’s basketball program, 协助团队的社交媒体和摄影. He’s had the opportunity to accompany the team on its March Madness runs each of the past two seasons.

“Being part of a team like that – and being part of the school in a way that most people aren’t – is amazing,卡森说。, 他患有另一种称为Hurler-Scheie (MPS I)的粘多糖病.

当他展望未来时, 卡森希望留在这个行业，并找到一个大学体育项目，称之为家, 要么做全职员工，要么做研究生助理.

“The scholarships have helped me so much in just being able to focus on my studies and pursue my dream of working in the sports industry,卡森说。. “通过在体育界工作, 我想告诉别人，做自己喜欢的事是可能的, 无论你的身材如何, 你的能力. 如果你真的用心去做，你就能做到.”

奥利维亚·卡明斯将对生命科学的兴趣转化为神经学的职业

奥利维亚 earned a scholarship during her first year of medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine. 此后，她获得了一个M.D. 目前正在进行为期四年的神经内科住院实习, 也是在印第安纳大学医学院.

“北大无疑激发了我对生命科学最初的兴趣，”奥利维亚说. “神经学是一个难以置信的病理定位领域. I have the opportunity to have a significant impact on people’s lives and walk alongside folks during heartbreaking moments.”

奥利维亚目前正在筹备一场婚礼，并在北大社区保持活跃, participating in research when she can and attending conferences for the camaraderie and opportunity to try new low-protein foods. She recalls how receiving a RARE Scholars award made her feel more connected to her community as well.

“I feel very lucky and honored to have been one of the first few folks awarded this scholarship,她说。. “我认为这个奖项不仅反映了我的成功, but of the accumulated good will and effort that has been poured into me – from my parents to my teachers, 从我的北京大学医生到营养师, and to all of the scientists who have contributed to the diagnosis and treatment standard of care for PKU.”

杰克 Eckerman开始了令人兴奋和具有挑战性的组织学职业生涯

杰克, 两届奖学金获得者，现居北京大学, 去年12月，他提前一个学期结束了大学生涯, 他以B的成绩毕业.S. 在生物学中. 他现在在罗切斯特市梅奥诊所的一个实验室的组织学部门工作, 明尼苏达州, 他在那里帮忙处理人体组织样本. 在接受全职工作之前，他是一名实习生, 他计划在2025年完成梅奥的历史技术项目.

“我一直都知道我想在医疗领域工作, and the internship exposed me to several areas of indirect patient care that really helped further direct my interests,乔希说。. “The laboratory setting has allowed me to work in an area of medicine that is exciting and challenging and enables me to help others.”

在实验室之外, 杰克 has enjoyed his move to Rochester and has been finding new areas to hike and explore around the city. He notes that the support of 澳门正规博彩十大排行平台 and others in the PKU community has been meaningful in his education and early professional development.

“It was just awesome to know that there were people out there who cared about people with PKU and were taking steps to help us in a variety of different ways,他说.

Blaide Woodburn找到了帮助评估基因药物影响的目的

Blaide twice received support from the 稀有学者计划 while working to complete a Ph.D. in virology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and now works as a Senior Life 科学 specialist at Boston-based L.E.K. 咨询, where he helps biopharma and biotech companies solve complex problems that lie at the interface of science and business.

His work includes supporting companies in evaluating the potential impact of genetic medicines for people living with rare conditions.

“My interest in science started as a desire to understand what was going on in my body and developed into a fascination with human biochemistry, 基因学，然后是生命科学,布莱德说。, 谁和北大住在一起. “我的工作是激发智力的, but really the opportunity to help drive impact within patient communities is what resonates with me.”

工作之余, 布莱尔把健康和健身放在首位，并计划在2025年与未婚妻举行婚礼. 他指出，“稀有学者”项目在他的生活中扮演了几个重要角色.

“RARE Scholars helped limit my student loan debt so I could pursue an advanced degree more easily, but it was even more meaningful just to be recognized by a company that has played such a crucial role for the PKU community,他说.

了解更多关于稀有学者计划. 2024-25项目的申请截止日期为2024年4月5日.