Student Spotlight: Cassandra McDiarmid, College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ever since she was 4-years-old, Cassandra McDiarmid knew she would grow up to become an OB/GYN.
She credits the early decision on a book she discovered as a kid. Since the family’s bookshelf was kept in her room, McDiarmid opened a book that her mom received when she was pregnant with McDiarmid’s brother. After that, she was confident in her life’s calling.
“My whole life has been on that trajectory to become an OB/GYN,” she said. “It’s why I really enjoyed the sciences as a kid because I knew I needed to excel in them in order to get into medical school.”
She said the more she learned about bringing life into the world, the more she wanted to accomplish her dream. More than delivering babies, the second-year student in Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine wants to learn all she can about women’s health in order to become a more effective provider for women.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned so much more about women’s health. There are many more facets that interest me,” she said.
After graduating from UCLA with a degree in molecular cell and developmental biology and a double minor in philosophy and evolutionary medicine, McDiarmid decide that Touro was where she wanted to pursue her medical school dreams.
“The family aspect of Touro is something I really love. I came from a large school like UCLA, and the culture and openness Touro provides is not something you typically find at bigger institutions,” she said. “It was apparent on Acceptance Day that the culture is just different here.”
Since arriving at Touro, McDiarmid has immersed herself in everything the campus offers. She serves as President of the Osteopathic Medical Student Government Association and the OB/GYN club, as well as the Secretary of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association.
At the same time, she’s in the middle of completing multiple research projects on women’s health education and preparing to study for her board exams. In March 2020, she plans on presenting two of her poster projects at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine’s (AACOM) Educating Leaders Conference.
McDiarmid said despite her busy schedule, her time management routine still allows her to get eight hours of sleep each night. To decompress, she goes to spin classes at CycleBar.
She’s grateful for the relationships she’s made during her first two years at Touro. As she continues her lifelong dream of working to become an OB/GYN, she knows she’ll always have the support she needs from her classmates and faculty.
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