Sarah Belcher, a rising junior at the University of Louisville, was recently awarded a Fulbright US-UK Summer Institute Award. She is only the second UofL student to receive this award. In addition to receiving this prestigious award, Belcher is also a G.E.M.S. (Guaranteed Entrance to Medical School) student.

Being a G.E.M.S. student has been one of the greatest blessings to Belcher. The G.E.M.S. program allowed Belcher to become a more well-rounded student. “Because of the security G.E.M.S. brings, I have been able to explore my interests outside of medicine, such as studying abroad with the US-UK Fulbright Commission,” said Belcher.

The US-UK Fulbright Commission expanded her perspective on how to serve her community through medicine. “The city of Glasgow where I studied had many initiatives focused on the social determinants of health I would like to work with here too,” said Belcher.

Belcher fell in love with medicine while volunteering with her local hospital in high school; she began to feel at home in the hospital environment. Belcher’s comfortability in the hospital environment continues to grow as a G.E.M.S. participant by shadowing medical professionals and establishing a deeper commitment to medicine. “Having the opportunity to work with faculty and staff at the School of Medicine has made me feel more at home on the Health Science Campus,” said Belcher, “I am excited to be a medical student there.”

Belcher’s advice to other undergraduate students looking to pursue a career in medicine is to, “Do research, learn about health policy, study abroad, work with public health initiatives – these interests are not distractions from medicine but can make us more well-rounded physicians as we step into our careers.”