Leanne Jeong is a junior in the college, double majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and Music. She is on the pre-medical track.
We had a chance to sit down with Leanne and ask her a few questions about her pre-health journey.
What has inspired you to pursue the pre-medical track?
When I was young, my parents owned a restaurant where I would stay during the day because we were not able to have a babysitter. One day, this old couple started to come to the restaurant, and soon, they became regular customers, coming in quite often. As time passed, my parents and I got to know them very well and we grew very close. They had come to love me as their biological grandchild and I loved them as my own grandparents. Since my parents and I have always been the only ones in my family who have lived in the U.S.-- everyone else is in Korea-- I was never really able to form a close bond with my biological grandparents, so it was very special to get to know this old couple. I used to always be embarrassed during grandparents day at school because I was the only one without my grandparents, but I grew so close with this old couple that I started to bring them to those school events. When I felt alone, they provided care, support, and love. Eventually, they moved to another state, however, I wanted to give back what they had given me, so I started to volunteer with hospice programs as well as through music therapy programs for seniors. I found that I love to serve by alleviating the pain and stress for the elderly, especially through music. Not only that, but I love being able to form relationships with people while being able to help them.
What is a challenge you have faced so far along your pre-health journey, and how did you overcome it?
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, I was starting to lose my way of connecting with people. As a college student being constantly surrounded by people in classes, clubs, and extracurriculars, it was hard being at home alone during such a challenging time. I was looking for ways to connect with others during the pandemic through virtual volunteering and found TeleHealth Access for Seniors. TeleHealth Access for Seniors collects devices and donates them to free clinics in Atlanta and the Valdosta areas. We also provide technological support and manuals to help seniors navigate the world of telemedicine. So, I spent a lot of time calling and reaching out to friends and families to ask for donations of old devices. Even amidst the pandemic, I was able to continue doing something I love-- connecting with others-- while also being able to serve the community.
(If you want to support Leanne in helping seniors receive better access to telemedicine, please donate by Venmoing @Leanne-Jeong and comment “TeleHealth.”)
What is something you wish you knew five years ago?
Five years ago, I was a junior in high school… I wish I told myself to “calm down and enjoy everything you can because everything will work out in the end.” I wish I knew that I didn’t have to stress about everything by myself because of all the great resources I had available to me. I really undermined the support I had-- friends, guidance counselors, mentors. I struggled to reach out because I felt like I would be a burden to them but in reality, I needed to calm down and ask questions when I needed help. I wish I knew to trust people and reach out to them.
If you could start over, what would you change?
I would slow down and allocate more time to myself. I love the college experience and have met great friends, joined the clubs I wanted to join, took the classes that I was interested in, but in the moment, I had spread myself out too thin. I made time for the things I wanted to do, but I didn’t really take time for myself. I didn’t consider making time for face masks and watching Netflix. I love connecting with people, but I really learned the value in being alone sometimes.
What is the best advice you could give someone pursuing the same track as you?
Be open minded. There are so many different pre-health paths, like I didn’t even know that podiatry was separate from the pre-medical path and that it has its own set of requirements and application process. Don’t be afraid to explore. Be okay with straying from the “normal path,” because there really isn’t a normal path. I wouldn’t have become a music major if I hadn’t been open to exploring a different path to my career. Now, my whole drive and passion to pursue the medical field revolves around music-- my research and my volunteering. The interdisciplinary approach has strengthened and developed my pre-med journey. There are so many things that I had never discovered before. You need to be open minded; openness is key. Whether that be collaborating with others or taking classes outside of your major. I took a history class freshman year and it’s still one of my favorite classes that I’ve taken. Explore. Be different.