Growing up, University of Missouri senior Eva Ruterschmidt experienced something most children don’t. She had open-heart surgery in fifth grade to correct a life-threatening congenital heart disorder.
“That whole experience with my cardiologist, my surgeon, spending time in the hospital – it really changed my perspective,” she said.
Now, Ruterschmidt is studying biochemistry and said she feels lucky to be where she is today. She explained the condition is typically fatal in older children.
“I really felt like I got another chance at life,” she said.
She’s using that second chance to pursue her passion for becoming a doctor. It’s a dream she’s had since she was young, and one she has a personal connection to.
“That really just continues to push me to pursue medicine because I want to be able to give people the chance I had as well,” Ruterschmidt said.
As she wraps up her final months as an undergraduate student at Mizzou and plans to apply to medical school, Ruterschmidt reflected on how studying biochemistry has prepared her for a career in medicine.
“Starting out, I wasn’t totally sure if I liked it,” she said. “But as I took more of my core classes, I thought it was really interesting that it was kind of able to integrate a lot of stuff that I was learning from genetics, plus bio, plus chem.”
Ruterschmidt said biochemistry’s ability to bring elements of various science courses together has been exactly what she wanted her learning experience in college to be.
“It really made me stick with the major,” she said.
A passion for practice beyond borders
Another life-changing experience for Ruterschmidt has been her involvement in Mizzou’s chapter of Global Medical Training (GMT). The organization is an international non-profit that gives students the opportunity to volunteer in rural areas of Central and South America.
After going to an information session with a friend, Ruterschmidt remembers immediately calling her mom to share her enthusiasm for becoming part of the group.
“I was like, ‘Wow, this sounds so awesome. I really, really want to do this,’” Ruterschmidt said.
Members of GMT work under local doctors to help treat patients who don’t have adequate access to health care.
“It has definitely opened my eyes to the possibility of rural medicine or just areas with lower or less access to medical care,” Ruterschmidt said.
Ruterschmidt has been on four trips with GMT where she has traveled twice to the Dominican Republic, along with Panama and Peru.
She said the impactful interactions she’s had with patients from around the world have been a constant reminder of why she wants to pursue medicine.
“It’s really cool to see that, despite any language or cultural barrier, the connection that you make with patients is so huge,” Ruterschmidt said.
Working toward a career in healthcare can be daunting. But despite the doubt and other difficulties students going into this field may face, Ruterschmidt said her experience in GMT keeps her resilient.
“Every time I go on a trip, I’m just reminded of like, ‘Wow, this is what I’m going to be able to do,’” she said. “This is what I’ve been working towards.”
Ruterschmidt is currently the vice president of GMT at Mizzou and is also a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She said her time in college has taught her the importance of branching out, seeing different viewpoints and meeting people with different experiences.
“You really need to be a well-rounded person to treat people effectively,” she said. “Because being a doctor is so much more than the science itself.”
Students interested in joining GMT at Mizzou are encouraged to monitor the group’s social media accounts for upcoming events and information sessions at the beginning of each semester.