Gabrielle Price, C’2019, was on track to become a physician before she completed her second year at Spelman. The co-salutatorian of Spelman’s 2019 graduating class earned admission to the prestigious Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan, New York, as a college sophomore through their FlexMed program, which grants early entry to high performing students.
“I hope to obtain an M.D./Ph.D. with a focus in neuroscience,” said the Lexington, Kentucky native. “My ultimate goal is to conduct research on the brain and brain tumor development as a physician-scientist and teach in an academic setting.”
Price made excellent academic progress during her tenure at Spelman. She completed her four-year degree in biology with a concentration in health careers a year early to begin work on a master of science degree of research in oncology at Oxford University, London. She’s slated to complete her graduate coursework in June 2019.
“The academic rigor of the courses and the dedicated mentorship of the Spelman faculty have sharpened my critical thinking skills and scientific and research knowledge,” said Price. “My experience at Spelman has given me the confidence to be intentional about pursuing my career goals and aspirations, and using my talent to positively impact the lives of others.”
Her interest in medicine developed early. “When I was really young, I was gifted a doctor’s kit,” said Price. “It became my favorite toy, and I loved pretending to give health checks.” “In high school, I became involved in research and have had a continuing stream of research experiences ever since. Having the opportunity to shadow one of my mentors, Dr. Rosalind Ritchie, who is an anesthesiologist, every week in high school, confirmed my interest in medicine and desire to become a physician.”
During the first semester of her sophomore year at Spelman, the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program student and Goldwater Scholar worked as an undergraduate student researcher at the Emory University Winship Cancer Institute focusing on cell cycle control in cerebellar development and medulloblastoma, a pediatric brain tumor that arises in the cerebellum. She was also accepted into the Harvard Stem Cell Institute Internship Program (HIP) in the summer of 2017.
“The cumulative effect of every professor I have had and every critical dialogue with my Spelman sisters have been instrumental and influential in my path to becoming a M.D./Ph.D. Success truly takes a village, which is evident in my development at Spelman.”
The cumulative effect of every professor I have had and every critical dialogue with my Spelman sisters have been instrumental and influential in my path to becoming a M.D./Ph.D. Success truly takes a village, which is evident in my development at Spelman.
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