Kate McDonald

Hey guys, I'm Katie McDonald. I'm 20 years old and i'm currently studying at the university of Guelph. I'm in my third year of university and i'm planning on completing my degree next year. My current emphasis at school is biological science with a minor in neuroscience. I decided to enter this field after my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. I was frustrated that such little advancements were being made to find a cure and I was intrigued to know more When i'm not studying, i'm practicing yoga to relax and center myself. Yoga has been my favorite pass time for as long as I can remember. I'm hoping to get my yoga license this summer in order to teach classes in my spare time. During my summers I work with phase one clinical trial research. Last summer, my coworker and I published an article on adverse events testing in phase I clinical trials in the oncologist. This moment was a pivotal moment in my career allowing me to network with esteemed doctors in order to make connections and gain educational insight. Having a background in clinical trials spiked my interest in research and my neuroscience background emphasized the fact that I am passionate about studying the brain. I'm currently interested in sleep science since it incorporates two of my favorite things, sleep, and science. In the future i'm hoping to find a career that has the perfect balance of both. Last summer I volunteered in a sleep clinic helping to attach sleep monitors in order to record brain waves during patients sleep cycles in order to diagnosis various sleep conditions. Interestingly enough, I just went through a digital nerve reattachment and tendon reattachment surgery to repair my severed thumb. I am currently re learning basic motor skills that would typically come easy to all humans with opposable thumbs. Another interesting fact is that i'm planning on taking my next semester in Scotland to explore their culture and learn a little bit more about my Scottish heritage. I think having a huge change in perspective will be super beneficial for me.