JTC 25: An Interdisciplinary Path to Medicine

From her Mississippi roots, Lauren Brown found a natural home at Ole Miss. The Ridgeland native chose interdisciplinary studies to integrate her interests in language and medicine — combining Spanish, chemistry and biological science into what she describes as a “holistic learning experience.”

A senior approaching graduation, Brown has become deeply involved in campus life, serving as a tutor, mentor and wellness advocate while preparing for a future in medicine. Her experiences at Ole Miss have shaped both her academic journey and her perspective on health care.

Q&A with Lauren Brown

What standout experiences have you had at Ole Miss?

My IDS capstone on acculturation and psychopathology of substance use disorder in Latinx adolescents allowed me to dismantle the complexities crosslinking acculturation and substance abuse among Latinx youth in the United States.

Through Medical Brigades abroad, I volunteered in Panama serving under-resourced rural communities, which allowed me to embrace my Spanish-speaking conversational skills through compassionate care.

As a Health Professions Advising Office ambassador, I served as a mentor to those in their pre-medicine journey — working to dismantle the competitive mentality within the pre-med community and instead forge a community of support.

My role as a certified peer educator at the William Magee Center has allowed me to be a mental health advocate and substance abuse prevention educator. My own familiarity with witnessing the destruction of addiction has inspired me to give back through education and preventative work.

One of my most rewarding experiences has been serving as a supplemental instruction leader for Organic Chemistry II after failing Organic Chemistry I. This experience represents my academic and personal growth — turning academic failure into an opportunity to help others overcome similar challenges.

Were there any challenges you overcame during your college journey?

Amidst the depths of frustration wrought by my own health struggle during the end of my freshman year of college and thereafter — futile drug trials, stacked referrals and the terrifying uncertainty of an undiagnosed condition — I found myself at an intersection of suffering and self-realization. In those moments as a broken patient, when medicine seemed to have failed me, I found meaning, self-restoration and purpose.

This pivotal experience has afforded me the privilege to connect deeply with who I am beyond the strange dysfunctions of my body; remedied suffering has deepened both an understanding of myself and my calling to medicine. Overcoming this health adversity has truly cemented my vocation as a physician, informed my philosophy of holistic care and framed my understanding of human suffering in medicine.

Who has been your most influential mentor?

Dr. Safo Aboaku, my Organic Chemistry II professor and instructor whom I worked with as a volunteer tutor and organic II SI leader for two semesters, has truly been a source of influence. His deep care for students and passion for teaching considerably complex content is so refreshing.

Dr. Safo's steadfast joy radiates through every encounter, reminding me that even in the overwhelming moments, there is always room to seek joy and presence.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I am currently enrolled in an EMT program alongside my courses at Ole Miss. I intend to use my EMT training and certification on the ambulance or in ER to gain rich hands-on experience during my gap year.

I plan to apply to medical schools in the summer, while applying my instruction in Spanish through volunteer work in community clinics along the way.

In one sentence, what would you tell future Ole Miss students about your experience here?

In the words of American neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi, my experience at Ole Miss has taught me that we “can't ever reach perfection, but (we) can believe in an asymptote toward which (we) are ceaselessly striving.”

Top: Lauren Brown, a Ridgeland native and interdisciplinary studies major, found a home at Ole Miss where she combined her passions for language and medicine, served as a mentor and wellness advocate, and prepared for a future in health care. Submitted photo