Profiles and Infographics
At UNC School of Medicine, we believe our students are among the finest in the nation. They are a well-rounded group with a common goal: to impact medicine through service, innovative thinking, leadership, and academic excellence. Here are a few examples of our outstanding students.
Brinda Rahavendra
Class of 2028
Hometown: Cary, NC
Potential Area of Interest: Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Radiation Oncology
Brinda Raghavendra was recently selected for the Gertrude B. Elion Mentored Medical Student Research Award. The award supports women medical students who are interested in pursuing health-related research projects. Brinda intends to use the funds to support her research interest in radiation dose reduction in pediatric oncology patients.
“I research because I love being surrounded by those committed to developing new ways of thinking, of treating, and of caring for people at their most vulnerable,” Rahavendra said. “The project I’m working on investigates radiation dose reduction in rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue sarcoma most common in children, for that same reason— to push the envelope and interrogate how patient care can constantly evolve to improve patient well-being and quality of life.”
Scott Giberson
Class of 2026 MD/MBA
Hometown: Austin, TX
Potential Area of Interest: Pediatrics
Scott Giberson has been involved in a number of research opportunities at UNC School of Medicine, beginning as a Castillo Scholar after his first year as a medical student. Most recently, Scott was part of a research team with Dr. Alexander Doyal where they presented their project, “Surgical Sponge Vanishing Act,” at a national anesthesiology. They are now seeking a place to publish the research.
“The culture in the School of Medicine is such that faculty are really eager to work with students,” Giberson said. “They’re willing to bring me into something that they’re working on or give me those opportunities.”
Danielle Kapustin
Class of 2027
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Potential Area of Interest: Undecided
Danielle Kapustin was recently awarded an IAMSE-ScholarRx Educational Research Grant to support her project, “Transforming Embryology Education: Innovative Approaches to Interactive Medical Instruction.” Danielle shared that the grant will allow the School of Medicine to re-imagine the way that embryology and congenital defects are taught at the pre-clinical level to best prepare students for board exams, clinical rotations, and excellent patient care.
“The grant funds will support the design and implementation of a series of interactive embryology lessons at UNC School of Medicine, using hands-on materials and 3D visualizations to enhance student understanding of foundational concepts in human development,” Kapustin said.
Bradley Lauck
Class of 2027
Hometown: Snow Camp, NC
Potential Area of Interest: Orthopedic Surgery
During his undergraduate years, Bradley Lauck participated in the Rural Medicine Pathway Program, a partnership between the Carolina Covenant and UNC School of Medicine that aims to increase the number of rural North Carolinians applying to medical school. Now in medical school, Bradley also serves in the National Guard, making time for weeks of service throughout the year. He’s preparing for a medical career in service to North Carolinians, especially those living in rural communities that resemble his hometown of Snow Camp.
“UNC is the mecca of health care in our state,” Lauck said. “There wasn’t a better place to come pursue my dreams of becoming a physician than UNC-Chapel Hill.”
Mia Hodges
Class of 2026 MD/MPH
Hometown: Bellingham, Washington
Potential Area of Interest: OB-GYN
Mia Hodges was awarded the 2024-2025 Excellence in Public Health Award from the United States Public Health Service Physicians Professional Advisory Committee. The award honors a student who exemplifies the USPHS Commissioned Corps mission to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of our nation in conjunction with the Surgeon General’s Priorities. Mia was also named the Georgette Dent Accelerating Change Award for her extraordinary propensity for affecting change and advancing medical education as a medical student.
“I’ve been fortunate to learn from some incredible mentors who truly valued passing along what they’d learned,” Hodges said. “Seeing them create such supportive spaces made me want to step into a bigger peer mentorship role, and embracing that mindset has helped me connect with the UNC SOM community in really meaningful ways.”
