Molly Monge says that HFM BOCES and the New Visions Health Careers program solidified her passion for medicine. A 2018 graduate of Amsterdam High School, Molly reflected on her time spent in the program where she observed physicians and other healthcare staff at Nathan Littauer Hospital. She says moments like these allowed her to see how a career in medicine could be so rewarding.
After graduation from high school, Monge continued her academics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She graduated in 2021 with a degree in Biochemistry and Biophysics and was the recipient of the J. Erik Jonsson Prize, an award given to the graduating senior with the highest academic record in their class.
Currently, Monge is a Post Baccalaureate Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland and also volunteers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the surgery department. She plans to apply to MD-PhD programs this summer.
Although the New Visions program solidified her goal of becoming a physician, it was her experiences at the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center that inspired her interests in science and research. Monge says that obtaining an MD-PhD will allow her to see patients as a physician and pursue research for new treatment options as a scientist.
Molly’s advice to students who are considering a career in medicine and healthcare is that they should consider enrolling in the New Visions program.
“Attending the Career and Technical Center at HFM BOCES will set you apart from other students and provide you the advantage of having experiences in a hospital as a high school student,” Monge said.
