Dorothy Fink

Fink

"I cherish every chance I have to impact people's lives. I am committed to be an effective physician who advocates a holistic approach to medicine that connects body and mind."

  • Program: 2003 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
  • Resides: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Hometown: Johnstown, PA
  • Age: 28

Biography

Dorothy Fink was in her junior year of high school, in a ballet company, and dreaming about becoming a broadcast journalist, when her life changed. Her uncle was diagnosed with cancer, and Dorothy "watched helplessly as he lost his battle."

She began to read about cancer, and a new sense of purpose emerged. She became convinced that her calling in life was "to serve the community through medicine."

Dorothy entered Georgetown as a health sciences major, and also added biochemistry to her studies after she was accepted into the Georgetown University School of Medicine Early Assurance Program. (She may be the first at Georgetown to complete this difficult duo.) When Dorothy learned how chemotherapy can raise uric acid levels in the body, leading to kidney stones and renal deposits, the prevention of these side effects became her research project. This has led to co-authorship of a published paper in a peer-reviewed journal as well as a second under submission, and to her becoming the only undergraduate ever to make an oral presentation at the Midwest Organic Solid State Chemistry Symposium.

Three events contributed to even larger vistas during Dorothy's junior year. Her mother was diagnosed (and had a successful bout) with cancer, Dorothy befriended a 16-year-old patient while volunteering at the Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center, and a friend gave her a book about the ground-breaking mind/body research of Dr. Candace Pert.

Dorothy's first-hand observation of how emotions and attitude affect health inspired her (with her young friend's help) to initiate Kids and Chemistry, a hands-on, fun program for pediatric cancer patients. She saw "a phenomenal change in their attitudes. We were able to restore their laughter and put meaning back into their fragile lives." Dorothy recruited her peers to establish a permanent program at Georgetown that has caught the attention of other area colleges.

Her experiences at the Lombardi Cancer Center also inspired Dorothy to turn the joy of running into a serious pursuit: she trained extensively, and then ran the Marine Corps Marathon to raise money for cancer research at Georgetown.

To add to the understanding of mind/body medicine she gains at Georgetown, Dorothy will go to Oxford to learn how different cultures and beliefs shape the way people view medicine. She intends to positively influence public health by bringing that understanding to bear on diverse medical populations in the U.S.

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