Student Spotlight: Kristen Haller

Here at SDSM&T we have a growing and thriving community of pre-health students. Today, we are shining a spotlight on Kristen Haller. Kristen is a mechanical engineering major who is following a pre-medicine pathway here at SD Mines. Earlier this year, she was named the Outstanding Student Organization Member for Alpha Omega Epsilon, and received this semester's C.H.A.D. Award (Caring, Helping, Aspiring, and Developing), which "recognizes a student, faculty, or staff member each semester who exemplifies Chad Nienhueser's life and aspirations". We caught up with Kristen to ask her about her pre-health journey and how she is preparing for a career in health care.

Kristen receiving her C.H.A.D. Award.

What kinds of shadowing opportunities have you had? What did you learn from those experiences? 
I've had a few different shadowing opportunities, all of which I found very helpful. I shadowed an ER physician for a full shift and got to hear about her experience through medical school, residency, and her current position. A couple years ago I was able to watch a hernia repair surgery done with the da Vinci robot, and that was one of the most incredible experiences I've had! Last summer I got my EMT certification and with that program I was able to shadow paramedics on an ambulance and shadow in the emergency room too. There were some very exciting and intense cases I was able to see during shadowing. All of these opportunities have solidified my decision in wanting to go to medical school and become a doctor. 

What kinds of research have you been involved in while being a student?
I'm currently doing biomedical research in the Mechanical Engineering department with Dr. Prasoon Diwakar. I am researching how to use both electroporation and cold atmospheric plasma into a combined technique to kill breast cancer cells - ultimately to treat breast cancer and/or shrink the size of tumors. 

What kinds of volunteering do you do?

I do most of my volunteering through Alpha Omega Epsilon and through Rotaract and I have done quite a variety of things. Through these organizations I have volunteered with Girl Scouts, highway cleanup, Feeding South Dakota, Kids Against Hunger, organizing the STEMinist 3K, Mines Buddies events, and more. If anyone is interested in joining a fun volunteering club, I highly recommend Rotaract!

What did you do to prepare for the MCAT?
I used a study book that went through each subject covered on the MCAT along with practice questions and two full-length practice tests. It also had very helpful tips just in general for the test as far as how to approach each section, how to manage your time, etc. Towards the end of my studying, I purchased online practice tests through AAMC that imitate the MCAT almost perfectly. I'm very glad I did those so I knew exactly what to expect on test day. I took the MCAT last October and will be applying with that score as applications open in May.

We heard you were just inducted into The Order of the Engineer. Congrats! Tell us a little bit about what that means and why it is important to you.
The Order of the Engineer is an organization that promotes good ethics and responsibility for engineers. During the induction ceremony, each new member is given a ring to wear on the pinky of their dominant hand as a reminder to always make good decisions, especially since engineers have a great influence on society and our future. I'm very proud to be a member and I enjoy wearing my ring as a reminder to myself of the oath of responsibility that I took.

Students receive their rings after being inducted into The Order of the Engineer. (Kristen is on the far left!)

What do you do when you aren’t studying, conducting research, or volunteering?

My favorite thing to do in my free time is go hiking and exploring out in the Black Hills. It's such a beautiful place to be and there are endless trails to discover. Other than that, I always love relaxing by watching movies or just hanging out with friends. 

How do you manage stress?

I always like to get out and about by hiking or going for a walk to get my mind off of things. Or if I have more time, I enjoy crafting, baking, and watching movies. I try to find something totally separate from what is stressing me out, and go to a different location to re-frame my mindset.

What advice do you have for our freshman pre-health students?

It's not too early to start getting involved and getting experience! Try out different organizations to find ones that you fit well with and enjoy. Start asking your professors if they have research you can help with - sometimes they don't advertise open positions and it doesn't hurt to ask.