Gatzke teen learns about the medical field in Boston, Massachusetts

A Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders, Brooke joined thousands of young adults in Massachusetts last week. The three-day Congress at UMASS Lowell is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. Brooke’s future career plan is to become a Biochemist, more specifically, a Biomedical Scientist who studies viruses and associated diseases to monitor the effectiveness of vaccines.

The purpose of the Congress in Boston is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be physicians or medical scientists, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

While in Boston, Brooke came face-to-face with winners of the Nobel Prize, award-winning young inventors and scientists, top medical school deans and leaders in medicine. She was also witness to stories told by patients who are living medical miracles and learned about cutting-edge advances in medicine. 

The Congress took place at The University of Massachusetts Lowell on June 25-27. Brooke and her parents arrived Sunday morning, June 24th and flew back home Saturday, June 30th. They enjoyed some vacation time and sight-seeing while on the east coast! Below, Brooke shares highlights of her experience with us.

Sunday: After getting settled into their hotel in Burlington, Brooke and her parents made the 10-minute drive back to Boston where they went to Cheers for supper – like the restaurant/bar that is based off the TV show!

Monday: The Limesands went to Little Italy, which is a neighborhood in Boston. They went to Mike’s Pastry, which Brooke said is known as one of the best places in Boston to get Boston Cream Pie! After trying (and loving) it, they headed to UMASS Lowell so Brooke could get settled in for the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. She ended up staying in a dorm with three other Minnesota girls. That afternoon, the group gathered at the Tsongas Center and spent hours listening to amazing and inspirational people. “Every single speaker inspired me in a different way, however, Bohdan Pomahac, M.D., and Carmen Blandin Tarleton were the most inspirational that night. Bohdan Pomahac was the first person to ever do a full face transplant and Carmen Blandin Tarleton was the first person to ever receive a full face transplant,” Brooke shared. She listened to the story of Carmen and how doctors called it “the most horrific injury a human being could suffer.” Carmen’s husband had beat her with a bat and doused her with industrial-strength lye. Brooke added, “She was so inspirational about never giving up on your dreams and living  your life from the inside out.”

Tuesday: Among the many doctors and inspirational speakers this day, the standout for Brooke was Rick Sacra, M.D., who was a survivor of Ebola. Brooke recaps, “He moved to West Africa when his wife was asked to teach there. August 29, 2014, he got Ebola; he had come back to the US and was infected with it for 21 days. However, he got better and went back to West Africa to open up a hospital because a lot of them had closed due to the Ebola outbreak.” Brooke says she didn’t get back to her dorm until after 11pm that night. Every day, the group got two hours for lunch and two hours for supper – that was about the only free time they had over the duration of the Congress. But during these times, all of the speakers and doctors would be set up with long lines of people waiting to get a picture and speak with them.

Wednesday: This day, Brooke had an incredible opportunity that would take her off campus. She watched a live Robotic Hysterectomy Surgery. “I got to see inside the body and watch the surgery. The doctor explained every move so no one could be confused on what was going on,” Brooke explained. She also noted that her favorite speaker on this day was Michael S. Brown M.D., Nobel Prize winner, who shared with the group his steps on earning the prestigious award that he was given for his discoveries concerning the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. At the end of this day, a dance was held to end the Congress. Brooke said about 4,000-5,000 Delegates attended the Congress in Boston!

Thursday: Thursday morning, Glenn and Charissa arrived back to the campus after enjoying a few days exploring around Maine and New Hampshire. They picked up Brooke and headed to Salem, Massachusetts, where they went to a witch museum and house. Brooke says since she was in Salem, she thought she should go to a psychic reader and deemed it pretty interesting! Afterwards, they drove back to Boston. That evening they went to Fenway Park, the oldest baseball park in America, and watched the Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels game!

Friday: Brooke said the highlight of this day was going to Gloucester, Massachusetts, where the TV show “Wicked Tuna” is based out; they even saw a couple of the boats that are featured on the show. This day included the Limesands walking the Freedom Trail in Boston, which includes many historical sites along the 2.5 mile route, like the cemetery where John Hancock and Paul Revere are buried, Site of Boston Massacre, Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Bunker Hill Monument, Boston Common and more! 

Now back in Gatzke, Brooke is spending the rest of the summer working on her family farm before college starts in the fall. She will attend Bemidji State University to obtain a Biochemistry degree.

When visiting about her experience, Brooke was so appreciative of the support she received in order to make the trip possible. She said her grandma, Sue Aune, sold one of her hand-made quilts for $500 in order to help pay for this voyage, along with many other people that chipped in to help. “I can’t even express how thankful I am to everyone who helped provide funds. It was an experience that I will never forget and one that I’ll be able to apply towards my future education and career,” Brooke concluded.