Samantha Garcia
(She/Her/Hers)
Class of 2026
Home city and state: Orlando, FL
Undergraduate study: University of Notre Dame - BS in Neuroscience and Behavior, Minor in Poverty Studies
Student organizations and affinity groups
- Latino Medical Student Association, President
- Dermatology Interest Group
- Feinberg Refugee Health Alliance
- Mobile Migrant Health Team (partnership with UIC to administer street medical care in response to Venezuelan refugee crisis in Chicago)
What do you enjoy most about living in Chicago?
Having grown up in Florida with a dream to live in a big city one day, living in downtown Chicago, a city that sits on Lake Michigan with a walking trail and several beaches, feels like home. I have been able to enjoy myself in medical school living in downtown Chicago as I am a walking distance from countless restaurants, shops, and sights. I honestly feel like I am living the dream every time I walk outside; the skyline is breathtaking every time and never gets old. In addition, I have been able to thrive in a city that is so cosmopolitan; I love hearing so many different languages being spoken and seeing people from all walks of life as I walk to class and explore the city.
Tell us a bit about your interests and hobbies outside of the classroom.
I never expected to be able to pick up any hobby during medical school, but I have actually had some time to pick up a few this past year! I have been able to go to salsa classes and learn salsa! I have also gotten into yoga and indoor spin classes! I have found a lot of joy and energy in finding outlets in artistic forms such as dance and more intentional work outs like yoga and cycling!
Share your path to Feinberg - what interesting experiences did you have prior to enrolling?
I was born in Miami, FL to two loving immigrant parents from Venezuela that moved to the United States to give my sister and me the opportunity to dream. Raised in Orlando, FL, I grew up in a diverse immigrant community. Little did I expect this to motivate a career in medicine because there is a unique warmth and love in Hispanic culture that I’ve enjoyed so much, and over time and through my experiences, I've come to understand medicine is an opportunity to share that warmth in the way I approach compassionate care to patients and collaborate in teams to solve problems. At Notre Dame, I majored in Neuroscience and minored in Poverty Studies, and really developed a passion for using my science education to promote change within communities. An inflection point in my college career was when I worked at Guadalupe Center, and had the opportunity to bridge complicated neuroscience knowledge with families in a migrant community to help improve neural healing and resilience with proper nutrition. I was able to expand on this to a global scale by studying Neuroscience in Dublin, Ireland alongside students from all corners of the globe -- from Nigeria to Sudan to China to France. Coming out of all of these experiences, I wanted to attend a medical school where I can engage with not only a diverse patient population, but also a diverse medical school community that values excellence in clinical practice and research as well as using that excellence as a force for good.
Topics I can discuss with prospective students:
- Life in Chicago
- Campus Life
- ECMH
- AOSC/Research
- Academic Support (studying, learning)
- Student Organizations, Affinity Groups
