Student Spotlight: Frosh Biology Star Headed to DC Medical Program

It’s probably fair to say that Abby Brown is ahead of the game. With a yen for a career in surgery—heart surgery, perhaps, but she’s not sure—the Western Springs freshman will take a major step this summer when she attends the National Student Leadership Conference Medicine & Health Care program in Washington, D.C.

Brown, who also volunteers at La Grange Adventist Hospital and scored a local honor last month being named a Lyons Township “Student of the Month” in biology, was recommended for the program by her guidance counselor Nicole Peterson, who wrote in a letter that Brown is “mature, diligent and bright” with “great work ethic, intelligence and [a] positive nature.”

We sat down for a chat with Abby about the program and more:

Patch: What do you think earned you the biology Student of the Month award?

Abby Brown: “I guess I participate well in class, but it’s not just that. I read an article in the newspaper on cancer, and how it was like this mother passed it down to her daughter, and I told my teacher, and she was like, that’s not possible, so I brought in the article and she discussed it with all the other biology teachers, and it actually was true. And I always tell her stuff that’s on the news that relates to what we’re learning. So I guess she enjoys that."

Hearing sad stories like that daughter—is that inspiring to you to pursue medicine?

“Yeah, of course. Discovering new things—I didn’t even know that [hereditary cancer] was possible. And news—I like news.”

What piqued your interest in science, biology, medicine?

“I’ve just always been interested in medical science. How the body works, it’s just interesting to me.”

And what are some of your favorite things to learn about in those fields?

“Well, we had a project on genetic mutations, and my cousin’s son was born with Fragile X [Syndrome,] and so I asked my teacher if I could pick that one for our mutation project. I really enjoy learning about what can happen to you—sometimes at home, I’ll even just look up random mutations. It’s all interesting to me—meiosis and mitosis, pedigrees.”

What are you looking forward to most at the NSLMP?

“Everything, honestly. I can’t wait to see the live surgery. I think that’s going to be awesome. And then you get to learn how to suture someone—which I doubt you actually get to do, but still!”

What sort of stuff do you do when you’re not researching genetic disorders?

“I run… just run to the track—or, sometimes, if I’m lazy, I’ll just go on my treadmill. I play guitar… Honestly, I’ll play anything. Beatles, Nirvana. I’m not really into the pop.”

It’s early, but any thoughts on colleges?

“My mom wants me to go to U of I. We all just went to the college fair at Lyons Township—talked to Northwestern, to the University of Chicago. They all have a medical program, basically. I am going to stay in-state!”

---

Want to nominate a Western Springs kid for a Student Spotlight? E-mail us or leave a comment!