Joy and Ilona welcome guest Mel Selber, who is a graduating senior at the University of Michigan. Mel talks about how she redefined who she is over the course of her college experience, and how continuing to take small risks played a role.

Key Takeaways:

• Internalized beliefs about who we are
• Imposter syndrome
• Straddling two identities, while not belonging to either one
• The experience of being othered
• Discomfort leading to clarity
• Mel’s secret for making new things less nerve-wracking
• Challenging preconceived notions
• Finding new ways to fail safely
• Distinguishing between helpful vs unhelpful anxiety

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• Instagram: Unlocking College Life

Ilona and Joy welcome guest Kate Panzer, who is a 2nd-year medical student at the University of Michigan. Kate followed the pre-med track at the University of Pennsylvania as an undergrad where she developed an interest in disability health through learning American Sign Language (ASL). She is now integrating her interest in disability health into her experience in medical school.

Key Takeaways:

• The pre-med track in undergrad
• The decision to take two gap years before med school
• Why Kate ended up taking 4 semesters of ASL
• From theory to hands-on learning with physicians
• Getting to see medicine in different environments
• How Kate balances the rigor of medical school with social life
• Exploring disability advocacy in health care
• The importance of keeping an open mind throughout college

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• Instagram: Unlocking College Life