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Name: Eva Carmona-Rogina
Major: Physics
Hometown: North Wales, Pennsylvania
Future Plans: In the fall, I’m starting ������Ƶ’s Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program to take the requirements to apply to medical school. Once that is done, I’ll either go straight to med school or take a gap year.

Tell us about your academic journey at ������Ƶ.

I went into ������Ƶ thinking I was going to be an astrophysicist. Carl Sagan said that “we’re all made of star stuff.” I was very interested in understanding the universe in that way. Then I became more interested in just general physics, so I took as many physics classes as possible. My favorite so far has been Quantum Mechanics. I got very involved in the department; for example, I’ve done research in the Spintronics Laboratory. In simple terms, they are these magnetic spin configurations that have a lot of potential for future data storage technology. Then, I happened to watch a documentary on neurosurgery and I realized that I want to be a doctor. There’s where I made the pivot.

Even though this is sort of an unexpected shift, I think studying physics still teaches you how to think a certain way. That will definitely be applicable in my medical career and how I problem solve. I also hope that, by graduating with a master’s in physics, that I can still do some kind of physics research that can contribute to medicine. I found out that ������Ƶ had an amazing postbac program to prepare me for medical school, so I knew I had to apply, and I got in!

What were some other highlights of your time at ������Ƶ?

Through research, I’ve been able to participate in a lot of conferences. I presented my research at the American Physical Society in March 2024. I’ve also presented at the Undergraduate Conference for Women and Gender Minorities in Physics both last year and this year. Finally, I did the Summer Science Research program at ������Ƶ. This all allowed me to get very involved in research and collaboration with scientists from other universities. I also really appreciated the liberal arts curriculum because I’ve had the opportunity to study philosophy, French, and music theory. It’s amazing to have a more diverse academic experience as compared to other schools.

Besides academics, I would say the beautiful grounds are a big highlight from my time at ������Ƶ. I appreciate them every time I take a walk around campus. I’m also very grateful for the mentorship from my research advisor, Dr. May Cheng, and for meeting my best friend in Linear Algebra during my freshman year.

How do you think ������Ƶ has prepared you for your future plans?

Professors at ������Ƶ are deeply invested in their students’ success–it sometimes surprises me how much they care. Also, the low student-to-faculty ratio is amazing. It’s given me confidence in the classroom that I can carry into the future. I’ve learned how to take a direct lead in projects and collaborate with people. That’s applicable no matter what I do in the future. Then, of course, the postbac program, which will be a direct path towards medical school.

What advice do you have for incoming members of the Class of 2029?

Keep work schedules and daily to-do lists. I do that for everything, and it makes a big difference in productivity. Also, get involved with your department in as many ways as possible. Attend group meetings and work with other students–you can learn a lot from them. Serve as a homework grader, teaching assistant, or volunteer with research.

Also, find something that has nothing to do with school that you really enjoy. Keep it balanced to reduce stress!

What are you most excited about?

I’m most excited about meeting like-minded people in the postbac program. We’re all going to have the same goal of getting into a good med school by doing well in our classes and on the MCAT. It will be interesting to meet these people who all have this same goal, but very different backgrounds. Some have families, some are already working, and some are as young as I am. I’m also looking forward to this completely new phase of going into medicine and training to become a doctor.

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