From Winter Term to the Lab: Building a Path to Medicine

The Center for Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA) has provided Henry Feller with the experiences and skills needed for a career in medicine, research, and public health.

A double major in sociology and neuroscience, Feller spent his first Winter Term shadowing in Associate Professor Gunnar Kwakye’s neuroscience lab, where he observed students performing laboratory techniques and participating in journal clubs focused on Huntington’s disease. “From this introduction to student research and experiential learning at Oberlin, I committed two summers and the remainder of my Winter Term experiences to pre-med and research-intensive opportunities,” he says.

During his next Winter Term, Feller worked as a medical assistant at a local endocrinology clinic, gaining insight into the fast-paced clinical environment. That summer, he joined Associate Professor Chris Howard’s neuroscience lab as an Oberlin Summer Research Institute Affiliate Scholar (OARS). “I was able to strengthen my skills in problem-solving, trusting my own decision-making, reading and interpreting dense scientific literature, and keeping a cool head under pressure,” Feller explains.

With support from the Office of Study Away, he studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, during his junior year. His courses on psychopharmacology and the sociology of pre- and post-partum medicine helped him understand the intersection between the natural and social sciences. His background in psychopharmacology also supported his research internship at Cleveland Clinic during Winter Term.

The following summer, Feller conducted research with Conservatory Assistant Professor Samuel Gardner in the area of music cognition, and he now continues part-time research in Howard’s neuroscience lab. “Through academic- and research-focused pursuit of interdisciplinary learning, I have developed the critical thinking and cognitive flexibility necessary to consider several perspectives and points of focus when examining one particular approach to a scientific question,” he says.

Feller is currently working with Career Exploration and Development (CED) to explore career options in medicine and research. After graduation, he plans to join an academic lab that combines neuroscience experimentation with public health and gender disparities. His long-term goal is to earn an MD in pediatrics.

Feller is a nominee for the CELA Award, which recognizes outstanding student engagement and achievement in connecting academic pursuits with experiential learning.

To learn more about research opportunities available to you as an Oberlin student, check out the Office of Undergraduate Research.