The medical field is a rigorous and one of the most competitive fields for a college major.
For junior Gabrielle Bello, getting a head start was one of her top goals for
this most recent summer,so when she was granted to do a summer program at Harvard University, she took full advantage.

“I was recommended anonymously by teachers and the NSLC program. Basically they look at your GPA, school record, you’re whole life for the most part, and then make a decision on if you should attend,” Bello said.

Wanting to go into sports psychology, Bello took full advantage of the sections that focused on the physiological side of the medical field and made her decision to stray away from neuroscience.

“A run through of a day there would start off with us eating breakfast and then going into some sort of lecture. After the lecture we normally do some sort of lab either dealing with psychology or neuroscience,”Bello said. “Going into this, I was sure I wanted to focus on neuroscience and now that I’ve seen both sides, I want to focus more on sports psychology.”
Harvard is a prestigious school that has a lot to offer and the idea of being there can feel slightly intimidating.

“When I was first told that I had been accepted, I was excited mixed with a little frantic. I was going to a school, that I hope to attend in the future, with the idea that these kids were all going to know more than me. However, when I got there the kids and I were all on the same level for the most part and we blended together nicely,” Bello said.
Bello went into this program nervous about the experience, but came out with a lot accomplished.

“I ended up diagnosing both of my ‘patients’ in the lab correctly, which is actually pretty rare and something I felt really proud of. Also, I held a cow’s eye, which was gross, yet fulfilling because I couldn’t believe I would do that willingly.
Coming out with those proud moments didn’t go unnoticed unnoticed. Bello left with a letter of recommendation from the president of the program, which she can use in the future when applying.

“ All that Bello fulfilled this Summer has definitely put her on colleges radars and it is always a good idea to experience a piece of your potential craft to see if you’re interested.

“There are many benefits in going to a summer program to a college you plan on attending. You get to grow some connections with professors, get the experience of being a little more independent and get a feel of the classes, as well as the night life at the school,” college counselor Brad Kain said.

Bello is just as excited for her future as the people that are helping her on her journey.

“This program put a lot of things in perspective and made me anxious to see what life has for me after high school,” Bello said.