Lannah Lua, Class of '08
Senior Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major Lannah Lua has always wanted to be a doctor. Surrounded by a family of doctors, she had the opportunity to gain perspectives on many different fields of medicine. But it was her brother's struggle with GBM, a rare and often fatal form of brain cancer that inspired her focus on neurosurgery.
Since sophomore year, Lua has researched Parkinson's disease as part of an internship at UC Davis Medical Center. This year she will also undertake an operating room internship, shadowing doctors during various surgeries and procedures. When it comes to viewing surgeries closely, Lua is anything but squeamish. "Being in the OR has only drawn me to medicine more," she says.
As an international student from the Philippines, Lua knows scholarships are an integral part of her experience at UC Davis, both financially and emotionally. "Scholarships have given me confidence. They are a source of motivation to continue my pursuit of medicine," she says. "And the more motivation I have, the more fulfillment I get from my studies."
Lua's "spare time" is filled with other non-profit projects and a tutoring job at the Learning Skills Center. "My friends think I'm crazy," Lua laughs, thinking of how busy her schedule has become over the years. "But when I get to the end of a quarter I look back and think, 'Look at all of the stuff I've done.'"
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