From MBP to Medical School

Jessica Long (MBP '19) shares how MBP helped make her a more well-rounded med school applicant

When Jessica Long arrived at Northwestern Engineering to enroll in the Master of Biotechnology program (MBP), she didn’t know what she wanted her career to look like. She had a passion for medicine and a passion for academia, and she didn’t know at that point which would win out.

Jessica LongShe thought — and hoped — that her time in the MBP program would help her determine what field she wanted to pursue.

She was right.

Long is in the process of applying to medical school right now. Amidst her applications, coursework and research commitments, Long took time to talk about what differentiates the MBP program and what her hopes are for her current research project,

What was it about MBP that initially appealed to you?

I was initially attracted to MBP because I was unsure of whether I wanted a career in medicine or academia. I saw MBP students conducted research alongside PhD students, medical students, post docs, and residents, so I thought it would be the perfect setting for me to determine which pathway was the right one for me. So, Northwestern’s research reputation, MBP’s research opportunities, and the length of the program (15 months) all contributed to my decision to apply.

How important was the research emphasis of the program in your decision to enroll in the program?

I would not have enrolled if there wasn’t a research component to the program. I had approximately 1,500 hours of research before joining the program, however, I wanted the experience of writing a publication before deciding between medical school and academia. While I ended up getting that experience at Wake Forest the summer before I started MBP, I still hadn’t made a decision between academia and medicine, so I still wanted to work alongside medical students and academics.

How would you describe your current research?

I’m currently investigating the genetic link between Down Syndrome and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

What do you hope to accomplish with that research?

I’d like a publication, but more than that, I hope to establish the foundation for translation into the clinic. Children with Down Syndrome and Leukemia don’t have any specialized treatments, and I think their outcome would improve if there were those treatments.

What are your professional goals after MBP?

I’m currently applying to medical school. Ultimately, I plan to get an MD, but I haven’t decided on a specialty yet.

How do you think MBP will prepare you to make that happen?

I don’t think MBP necessarily prepared me for medical school, but it has helped shape me into a more well-rounded applicant and made me more confident that medicine is the right path for me.

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