Jessica Johnson ’07

Jessica Johnson ’07 completed her first year of Medical School at the University of Missouri in 2008. At Cornell, she majored in mathematics, minored in biology, and pursued a wide range of activities including NCAA volleyball, research on rainforest plant/insect relationships, an internship in prosthetics, and a month in Guatemala assisting with joint replacements through Operation Walk.

How was your first year of med school? What are your goals?
I love the small class size and case-based curriculum (as opposed to lecture-based). In many ways our small groups feel like some of my favorite Cornell classes. My future plans, at the moment, include a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation, but there’s a lot of time for that to change.

Did you feel well-prepared for med school?
Yes, definitely. While I didn’t have the course background that many of my classmates had — such as specific courses in histology, medical microbiology, etc. — I established a solid foundation and learned to think and apply major concepts rather than memorize minutiae. The small group, intimate learning environment I experienced at Cornell was extremely beneficial in that it taught me how to work with peers and integrate various techniques in studying and accomplishing an objective.

What was best about studying at Cornell?
Small classes and close relationships with the faculty were among the highlights of all programs at Cornell. The faculty are committed to including students in their research to give them exposure and experience in a supportive environment that ensures growth and success.