I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil and I moved to the United States when I was seven years old without knowing a word of English. Not knowing how to communicate with others, in elementary school I became engrossed in books and reading became my way of learning English. My first two years of experience in the United States were spent whining to my mother when she was sitting at her desk studying and working late into the night in order to receive her graduate’s degree in public health at UNC. I come from a family with a very medical background, so naturally I became a very medically-oriented individual. Both my parents worked at hospitals in Brazil, and are working today at pharmaceutical companies developing drugs for infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes. I find myself highly intrigued by the medical field because I have always been a curious individual. I like to seek answers and logical explanations for things. Additionally, my interest in global health was sparked this past school year during my experience in a course at Carrboro High School called Global Systems and Issues. I conducted research projects on the prevalence of diphtheria in Yemen, the mental health of Venezuelan citizens, and onchocerciasis (river blindness) in Africa. Through these research projects, I spoke with countless global health leaders, the director of the WHO, health officials in Yemen and Venezuela, and the CEO of the END Fund that works with NTD’s. Hearing and learning from these individuals was striking to me and it led me to seek out being much more engaged in public health. I became the Vice President of my school’s Red Cross Club, organizing and conducting two blood drives during the past school year, at the school. These experiences and interests of mine have led me to pursue further enhancing my knowledge of medicine through ISHTaR. I hope to get to know how patient care functions from within a hospital and its different departments.
Sofia now attends UNC-Chapel Hill as an undergraduate student.
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