Madeline Gray ’17 is moving on to the Ph.D. program at Georgia Tech after graduating with her B.S. in Biology from Reinhardt University.
Fields of medicine, dentistry and disease control are on the horizon for three Reinhardt University School of Mathematics and Science graduating seniors.
Madeline Gray, Michael Dubuc and John Bowling have their sights on furthering their education after turning their tassels on Commencement Day this May.
Gray, a Biology major, is moving on to Georgia Tech to earn her Ph.D.
“I want to work as a scientist at the Centers for Disease Control,” she said. “I am most excited for the lab rotation at Georgia Tech, where I can take part in several of the labs and get a feel for the research options.”
Gray, a Canton resident, has been a Reinhardt student since her days as a freshman, and while the University is not a research institution, the research opportunities she has been afforded in the School of Math and Science have given her hands-on work experience as a scientist.
“This gave me first-hand experience in research similar to what graduate research will be like,” Gray said. “Reinhardt has also helped me develop problem-solving skills, a necessity for jobs in the industrial and academic worlds.”
Woodstock resident John Bowling is ready for his new venture at Lake Erie School of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and has a strong interest in learning more about the whole body approach to wellness.
Bowling already has gleaned some hands-on education from work with Dr. Josh Uptigrove at Northside Hospital Cherokee.
Michael Dubuc ’17 and John Bowling ’17 both have been accepted to Lake Erie College of Dentistry and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, respectively.
“My professional goal is to become an emergency medicine physician. Right now, I work as an emergency room tech at Northside Hospital Cherokee and love the pace,” Bowling said.
Dr. Uptigrove introduced Bowling to osteopathic medicine, a field that emphasizes the whole person care approach to medical training.
“Only 7 percent of U.S. physicians are doctors of osteopathic medicine,” Bowling said. “These physicians often look at the entire body, including the patient’s physical, sociologic and psychological health to help diagnose and treat an illness or conditions.”
He said his time at Reinhardt earning his B.S. in Biology with a pre-medicine concentration, as well as the skills he learned as an all-around person, have helped him become a qualified medical school applicant.
While Bowling will be headed north to LECOM’s Erie, Pennsylvania campus, his best friend and fellow Eagle, Michael Dubuc, will be headed south to the Lake Erie College of Dentistry.
Dubuc plans to be a doctor of medicine in dentistry by 2021 and may specialize in orthodontics.
He was inspired by his orthodontist, Dr. Chris Jernigan, who treated him in high school. Dubuc called him his “first calling” to the field.
“As he did my braces in high school, he really inspired me with his love and passion for dentistry,” the Michigan native said.
The Lake Erie College of Dentistry’s approach is the problem-based learning method, something he says he is prepared for because of his time at Reinhardt.
“There has been plenty of opportunity for interaction between students, professors and faculty,” Dubuc said, noting the small class size made a great impact on his experience. “This has not only enabled me to have strong relationships with my professors, but it also prepped me well for the small classroom size of the problem-based learning method of learning that the dental school implements.”
If he is not too busy in the classroom, Dubuc plans to take his love of piano and music to a church in Bradenton. “Outside of church involvement, I would like to get plugged in with various events such as weddings, funerals or formal meetings. If I have time, I may resume teaching.”
