The Alliance in Focus: Monica Houston

Sixty-one members of the UNMC High School Alliance are among the students taking classes at UNMC this academic year.

The students come from high schools around the Omaha area and take college-level classes at UNMC to prepare for health careers. Each month, UNMC Today profiles an alliance student.

Today we meet:

• Name: Monica Houston
• High school: Benson High School
• Year: junior

How did you get involved in the UNMC High School Alliance?
My “Foundations of Health Care” teacher told me about the UNMC High School Alliance program. I jumped at the opportunity to apply, because I have a very strong drive to pursue a career in the medical field. I was beyond ecstatic when I found out I had been admitted into the program.

What sparked your interest in science?
There are a few things that sparked my interest in science. I have always been very good in science and in math, along with a motivation to help people and make a difference. The medical sciences seemed the most logical way to put these abilities together and to good use. One day, during a project in my science class last year, I realized just how amazing the human body is. Ever since then I have wanted to learn more. About four years ago, I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse — only to find out that I was misdiagnosed. The cause behind my symptoms is still unknown. This mystery in the science of medicine grabs my attention to seek answers.

What are your career aspirations?
I am weighing the possibilities of becoming a surgeon or an OB/GYN. I have not yet fully discovered where my passion in medicine lies.

What has been the best part of your UNMC High School Alliance experience so far?
Everyone is very welcoming, and I love being in an environment where everyone has the motivation to learn about all of the medical fields. Also, our first lab in the pathology class was in the morgue. What we got to see and touch there was amazing! The experiences I am getting in the UNMC High School Alliance are ones I never thought I would get at the age of 16.