MIKE KAREORES, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY ’24, BRADFORD COUNTRY CLUB & GOLF CLUB AT TURNER HILL
HOW HAS THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECTED YOUR COURSEWORK?
“It has completely changed my coursework, and while it is having an impact on all my fellow students, those who have a focus in the healthcare field or who are required to do a lot of lab work have had to adjust to nearly entirely online learning, especially in the first few months of the pandemic. Initially, everything was done online, including watching our professors perform the labs on our laptops. Personally, the labs are my favorite part of my coursework, so to lose that ability to ‘learn by doing’, that hands on experience, has really been a struggle. Luckily, Northeastern has been able to adjust over time to allow for about 20% of our labs to be in person. With that being said, the labs also used to be a real team effort where I would work in lockstep with fellow students to solve whatever the specific problem was. Now, we do the labs alone, which not only makes solving the problems themselves more difficult, but it also loses that simulation of the real world where doctors and research teams work together to solve actual ongoing issues. I am definitely looking forward to getting back to working with my fellow students, hopefully next semester!”
HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAD AN IMPACT ON YOUR INTEREST IN WORKING IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD?
“Yes, but interestingly enough it has made me more motivated to help make change for the better. While my specific focus would not be infectious diseases, rather pediatric oncology, it has made me realize how crucial doctors, nurses and research facilities are to society and our day-to-day life. I look up to the professors I am learning from and the doctors I come across on a daily basis. I want to achieve my dream so one day I can help kids who are frightened by their diagnosis, just as the doctors and nurses working on the frontlines and across the entire healthcare field are helping ease the tension of their patients.”
ASIDE FROM THE SCHOLARSHIP, HAS BEING A OUIMET SCHOLAR OR WORKING IN GOLF HELPED YOU GET A LEG UP IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD?
“I believe that it has already and will continue to going forward. I have my title of Ouimet Scholar prominently listed on my resume, and especially when it comes time to apply for medical school, I think it will help me stand out. Also, I have been able to come across numerous doctors and other men and women working in the healthcare field through caddying, which has been a huge help in allowing me to broaden my network.”
