What I didn’t expect was to get hooked on physics. I loved breaking down problems and applying it to the world around me. Clearly outlining the properties of objects (variables) and their exact relationship to each other (equations) helped me better understand the workings of the world. That semester, my favorite problem given by Professor Glenn Stark was comparing the kinetic energy of tectonic plates with the energy released in earthquakes.

Besides my penchant for problem sets, I was drawn into the department by the faculty. The professor:student ratio was especially high, with some of my upper level classes only having 3-5 students. Members of the physics department were engaging, quirky and always interested in our well-being. I’ll never forget falling asleep in Thermodynamics with Professor Ted Ducas coaxing, “This is interesting stuff. Come on, Maggie, give me 5 more minutes.” Amazingly, I still remember (besides being extremely embarrassed) that he was explaining the difference between bosons and fermions.

Many people worry about choosing a science major due to the extensive lab requirements and time commitments. However, even though I chose to major in physics, minor in biology, and complete the pre-med requirements, I still had time to pursue other diverse interests. I took a History of Jazz class from the music department, a philosophy class in medical ethics, and even several upper level art history courses. On top of school-related activities, I devoted plenty of time to fostering great friendships and partying in Boston. Having a full schedule prepared me for my current endeavor: working towards an MD/PhD. Being a doctor or research scientist requires a busy schedule. Learning how to manage time and balance schedules proved essential to my life as a medical and graduate student.

Majoring in physics also helped me hone the habit of thinking systematically through a problem. For example, Professors Yue Hu and Judy Brown always emphasized the use of Matlab and modeling to work through physics problems. In one course, we modeled phenomena from traffic flow to ferromagnetism based on simple algorithms.

The ability to think comprehensively in a methodical manner has proven useful in working through a patient’s differential diagnosis and elaborating a treatment plan. In the first two years of medical school, I struggled through memorizing the Kreb’s cycle and glucose metabolism, but when it came to pharmacokinetics and understanding drug mechanisms, I beat the curve. Presently, I am working on my PhD in neuroscience, and having a physics background is a huge advantage in understanding the concepts behind electrophysiology and computational modeling of neuronal connections, not to mention the familiarity I attained in managing large quantities of data.

Besides sharpening my analytical thinking, I found that physics courses often pushed my mind to be more innovative and malleable. Quantum mechanics my junior year was the most creative course I took in college, forcing me to think in unconventional ways. It was exciting to reflect on ideas such as electron orbitals as different energy states, or quantum tunneling (subatomic particles can jump through “barriers”!), and its widespread applications.

Majoring in physics is one of those decisions that I never regret. It fueled my curiosity about the natural world and bolstered my confidence to undertake my current pursuits.