A Pre-Med Art History Major at Barnard

Name: Melanie Bryan

Year: 2012 (Alumna)

Major: Art History

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Current Location: Washington, DC

Clubs/Organizations: McIntosh Activities Council (McAC) Member, Committee Chair, Vice President; Barnard Student Admissions Representative; Senior Interviewer; Biology Lab TA; Health Educator with HEAL and Peer Health Exchange; Columbia Community Outreach Coordinator; Barnard Babysitter; A capella groupie

Last fall, when I found myself with unexpected vacation time due to the government shutdown, I took a bus from DC to New York.  The bus dropped me off at 34^th street near Penn Station, and I made my way to the red line for the first time in a year and a half.  Twenty-five minutes later I stood outside the Barnard gates, where my former roommate found me sobbing. Yep, it’s true. I was crying, and not dainty, delicate crying.  Like full-on, out-of-control, requiring-Kleenex crying. 

I graduated from Barnard in 2012 with a degree in Art History.  I am currently a post-baccalaureate research fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, and will be starting medical school this August.  If this path seems incongruous with four years of Art History, you’re right, but that’s part of what’s great about Barnard.  If you are confused about why I was crying at the gates, spend some time exploring the blogs, talking to Barnard students and alums, or visiting campus.  Barnard is a unique place, and if it’s right for you (and if, like me, you have overactive tear-ducts), you may be right there with me in the years following your graduation.

 

I’ll be writing several blog posts about my time at Barnard, the pre-medical experience (and the “non-pre-med” pre-med experience that I had), and what I’ve been up to since graduation.  If you have any questions you’d like me to answer, please feel free to leave them in the comments!  Congratulations on your acceptance to Barnard, and happy exploring!

My first day at Barnard.