Tamara Zaza graduated summa cum laude in Spring 2020 from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a minor in Chemistry. Zaza is currently working towards a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine. Zaza says that doing research with UAH assistant professor Dr. Tatyana Sysoeva, being a Lancer, Science Ambassador, and working as a teaching assistant for microbiology lab are just a few of the invaluable experiences she was fortunate to participate in. "These experiences prepared me for medical school tremendously. I was able to start doing research soon after beginning medical school because of the strong foundation and mentoring Dr. Sysoeva gave me." She also credits the Office of Pre-Professional Advising with medical school preparation. "I remember spending a lot of time in PPA working on my personal statement, editing my secondaries, and filling out my application. I truly do not think I could have done it all myself, so I am extremely grateful for Pre-Professional Advising for alleviating much of the stress that comes with professional school applications." In her spare time, Zaza volunteers as Clinic Director of Equal Access Birmingham, a student-run free clinic that provides continuity of care to the medically underserved. "This has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had in medical school, and I don’t think I would be able to do this if UAH had not given me the leadership opportunities and skills that it did. My ultimate goal is to be a compassionate and knowledgeable physician. While I am still open to different specialities, I want to carry these core values wherever I go," she says.
