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Wenya Bi

Biography

Observation, research, and personal experience have reaffirmed for Wenya Linda Bi that neurosurgery is the best venue for her to pursue her passion for medicine. Despite the knowledge that she has chosen a rigorous profession in which the percentage of women is extremely low, Linda draws strength from her own record of perseverance and says, "I would not forgive myself if I did not at least attempt to strive against challenges to realize my dream."

Linda also looks forward to "investigating the mysteries of neurological disorders and applying the solutions, both scientific and social, to populations in need." She remains undaunted by the many challenges of becoming a physician-scientist and plans on pursuing graduate studies in molecular biology along with her medical degree. Ideally, she hopes to forge interdisciplinary links across different fields of basic science and develop innovative treatments for diseases of the nervous system.

Linda has always pushed herself to the limits of her potential, inspired by the heroes of her childhood-her parents and such pioneers of science as Gauss, Edison, and Curie. She completed the undergraduate requirements in neurobiology at Harvard College in three years and her master's in molecular and cellular biology in one year. Throughout her college career, she has striven to maximize her exposure to academia as well as extracurricular experiences, often combining eight or nine courses a term with research and volunteer work.

Linda's diverse community activities have included tutoring underprivileged children, teaching elderly Chinese immigrants, advising fellow undergraduates in biology, serving at a homeless shelter, managing finances for Harvard National Model United Nations, and building sets for Asian American theater productions. She was also a lead organizer of the first National Symposium on the Advancement of Women in Science held at Harvard.

Working at a free clinic in the heart of Boston's Chinatown, Linda served as a translator for a variety of patients. The experience reaffirmed her desire to pursue medicine and also heightened her appreciation of the crucial role of health policy. In the future she hopes to combine Western care with a sense of cultural competency. The possibility of working in an underserved inner-city facility or in a war-torn region as a member of Medicins San Frontieres remains in her plans.

"After all," she says, "it is a unique profession that demands the acuity of a lawyer, the patience of a teacher, the vision of an entrepreneur, the ethics of a philosopher, and the empathy of a social worker."

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