Martha Ratner ‘15

Martha Ratner“During Field Work Term I worked on a sexual health access project, shadowing physicians, and studying for the MCAT. The sexual health access project was a research study focusing on female teenagers ages 14-20 in Bennington, VT, aimed at assessing their access to health care and sexual education. There were five postbac students involved in this project. I coordinated with the local high school, a family resource center, and a family doctor to recruit students and gain parental consent for student participation. We interviewed the students regarding their experiences on a range of topics in sexual health such as sexually transmitted diseases and contraception. The students were also asked to describe their experience with healthcare professionals and the school system in regard to comfort level and accessibility of information.

“Pathology is my main interest and I also shadowed several pathologists and residents at the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington. I sat in while pathologists reviewed slides for case sign-out, observed grossing of specimens, and attended the pathology department teaching conferences. This experience exposed me to a variety of pathology subspecialties and resident rotations, which has deepened my interest in the field.”