Bioengineering pre med alumnus shares path to medical school

Denzel Ryan Cruz graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering (therapeutics engineering track) and a minor in chemistry. Currently, Cruz has been accepted to several MD-PhD programs this application cycle and is deciding which medical school will be the best fit for him. Bioengineering is one of the most popular pre med majors for students in preparation for medical school. Denzel shares his journey as a pre med student in bioengineering, his post-baccalaureate fellowship through the NIH, and offers advice to current and prospective students about navigating this process and applying to medical school. 

Being a pre med student at Illinois

What pre-med coursework did you take? 

I followed the common pre med courses progression that most bioengineering students took, while also taking some other electives that were interesting to me (you can’t declare a pre med major). I didn't take a formal psychology or anatomy & physiology class, but I did take genetics (MCB 250), health policy (SOC 162), medical sociology (SOC 274), organic chemistry II (CHEM 332), and physical biochemistry (CHEM 440). Many of the required courses that were non-BIOE foundationals were also common prerequisites for many medical schools, including the biology, chemistry and physics courses. Some of the core bioengineering major requirements also fulfilled the pre med requirements of many schools since the syllabus and curriculum closely resemble other classes or labs (ie. BIOE 202, 206, 302, 303). Some medical schools may only recommend prerequisites or they may require more prerequisites (such as genetics, composition, etc.), so I would double-check potential medical schools' websites you are interested in to see what pre med courses they are looking for and how they look at AP credits as part of the admissions requirements. 

After taking pre med classes, which ones did you find the most valuable? 

Most of the pre med and bioengineering courses were valuable for preparing for the medical college admissions test (MCAT) but I give a lot of credit to the science classes that helped me receive the highest MCAT scores in the science sections of the exam. Though not truly necessary for the medical college admissions test or medical school, biochemistry (MCB 450) and organic chemistry II (CHEM 332) complemented each other and made it easier for me to identify structures and processes in passage-based questions. Taking the calculus-based physics courses (PHYS 211 & 212) were tough when I took them, but I believe they provided me with a strong understanding and practice when dealing with physics questions on the medical college admissions test. For me at least, doing content review was made much easier after taking these classes.

What was the most challenging aspect of being a pre med student?

I believe the hardest part for pre med students is just getting through it, especially as a bioengineering major. The undergraduate bioengineering curriculum is one of the hardest paths for college students at UIUC, where we take the more intensive versions of physics and calculus alongside biology and chemistry classes just in your freshman year and sophomore year. Almost every class will challenge you in some way. There will be times when you have to juggle leadership positions, jobs and research with your academics, and you'll have to make some sacrifices. Eventually, you'll find your rhythm to balance everything out, do well in academics, and make the most of your extracurricular activities.

Were there other premed students in bioengineering that you connected with? 

Thankfully, there were a good number of bioengineering students in my class who were also pre med students. Our class was very collaborative with each other. Since many of us took the same core and premed classes, we were able to give each other study tips and advice.

Pre med undergraduate research 

How did your experience in bioengineering help shape your career aspirations after medical school?

I believe my experiences in bioengineering have played a big role in why I'm currently on this path and pursuing a medical education. From the research topics to BMES projects at Engineering Open House, and to the curriculum itself, I am attracted to the application of engineering principles to answering questions in human health. They helped confirm my interest in pursuing an MD-PhD dual degree program. I want to become a physician-scientist who can show patients that I am constantly fighting for them and finding ways to improve treatments that can one day be brought to the clinic.

Did you have any research opportunities while in the bioengineering program? If so, how did this help you decide what you wanted to do for your MD-PhD medical school program?

I was part of several labs as an undergraduate, and I participated in the University of Nebraska Medical Center's MD-PhD Summer Undergraduate Research Program. This research experience helped me learn each aspect of the scientific method, such as experiment design, sample preparation, and data acquisition and analysis. I was able to explore different topics and hone in my specific interests. As an MD-PhD trainee, I plan to pursue research in nanotechnology and imaging therapeutics.

Gain clinical experience post-graduation to prepare for medical school 

Tell us about your NIH post-baccalaureate fellowship program? 

The National Institutes of Health Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellowship provides an opportunity to spend one or two years performing full-time biomedical research at one of the NIH laboratories. Outside of research, the Office of Intramural Training & Education also offers career and professional development activities on research presentations, applying to graduate/professional/medical school, career exploration [career opportunities], and wellness activities. At the culmination of the fellowship, there is a Postbac Poster Day to showcase your work. The fellowship's primary goal is to help college graduates prepare for graduate or professional school.

What were the admission requirements for the NIH post-baccalaureate fellowship program?

[For students applying to the program], you must be a recent college graduate by the time you begin the program (max of 3 years) and must have the intention to apply to graduate/professional school during the NIH tenure. For the application, you'll need a CV or resume, a list of coursework and grades, a cover letter describing the applicant's research interests and career goals, names and contacts for three references. The detailed admission requirements for the NIH Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellowship can be seen on their website here.

What type of research did you do as a part of this program? 

I joined Dr. Leapman's research group at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. The laboratory uses serial block-face and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopies to visualize macromolecular structures of the forming thrombi during wound healing. My current projects include analyzing platelets from COVID patients and investigating the role of serglycin in alpha granules.

Can you describe your hands on experience at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and how that helped to prepare you for a medical career?

Most clinical volunteer experiences were put on hold during the pandemic, but I was able to begin volunteering at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as a Red Cross volunteer this past year. Around that time was the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan. At the start, [my volunteer activities include] assisting the Red Cross coordinators in developing activities for the Afghanistani children who have family members being treated at the hospital. Since then, I have been volunteering in the Emergency Department at Walter Reed to gain additional clinical experiences.

The medical school application process

Do you have any tips for pre med students interested in applying to med school?

It's okay not to be perfect. I certainly wasn't. I had my fair share of bumps and bruises along the way, but I became a better person because of it. I don't think I really found my footing in college until the second semester of my junior year when juggling academics, research and extracurriculars didn't seem as bad anymore. That's when everything started to click and I began to enjoy the undergraduate experience. The pre med journey also shouldn't be as cookie-cutter as Student Doctor Network or Reddit make it out to be. You're trying to craft your own story as to why medicine is important to you and why you believe everything you are doing will help you become a better doctor. Maybe your niche is in community work, health policy, or research like me. I do recommend exploring as much as you can as an undergrad. Then really invest in your true interests, because those will be the meaningful experiences you can put in your medical school application.

I would love to help any students who may have any questions or need some advice, at least until I matriculate at a medical school this June. I still have access to my school email (ddcruz2@illinois.edu) and I'm also on LinkedIn.