From a B student in math to a Harvard biostatistics student: my journey

academic advice High School mathematics
By Veda

In middle school, my curiosity for math often drove me to work ahead during class. I found it satisfying to solve the puzzles on my worksheets and was excited to enroll in honors math classes in high school. However, during my freshman year, the fun of math seemed to dissipate. The focus shifted to tests and memorization, rather than understanding and applying concepts. This left me disheartened, and my grades reflected it. 

From freshman through sophomore year, I was a solid B student in math. I struggled through geometry and Algebra 2. My teacher suggested I drop down from honors-level math, but I was determined not to admit defeat.  

Everything changed when I met Dr. Moayyed Hussain, a kind, elderly mathematician and a beloved family friend, at the end of my sophomore year. Through a series of conversations, Dr. Hussain illustrated the elegance of mathematics and its applications beyond worksheets. He showed me that mathematics is a universal language spoken by nature itself. His passion for math transformed my perception, igniting a deep-seated curiosity within me.  

My conversations with Dr. Hussain reignited my drive to learn. This manifested during my precalculus class in high school, where I earned my first A+ in math since middle school. I realized my true joy lay in creating mathematical solutions to everyday problems. I enrolled in college-level calculus as a senior in high school and ultimately decided to apply to college as an applied mathematics major.  

This decision opened doors to computational research, and I was captivated by the mathematics behind the functions I was using. The journey through my bachelor's degree was exhilarating, as I delved into mathematical concepts along with their real-world applications and saw the opportunities math had to improve healthcare. If you had told me in freshman year that I would be a math major in college, I would’ve laughed incredulously! 

My academic journey led me to pursue a master's degree in biostatistics at Harvard. During this time, I tutored applied regression and worked as a teaching fellow for introductory statistics for medical professionals. I also worked on various machine learning projects that highlighted the power of prediction and risk stratification in medicine. 

One of the most fulfilling experiences was tutoring a young girl in Algebra 2, the class in which I had once struggled, through Boston Partners in Education. I saw reflections of myself in her and strived to make her feel confident. We progressed from basic problems to more advanced ones, leading to better test performance. Seeing her confidence grow was a testament to the benefits of encouraging, student-led mentorship. 

Today, I am passionate about mentoring others, helping them navigate the challenges of learning mathematics. I aim to ease their fears and cultivate a passion for learning. As I continue to teach and mentor, I am now embarking on a journey to pursue a PhD in AI and machine learning applications in medicine. This next chapter will allow me to continue learning advanced mathematical concepts and applying them to advance the medical field. 

From a B student in high school math to a biostatistics master's graduate from Harvard, my journey has been one of persistence, passion, and transformation. I hope this journey encourages others to embrace the beauty of mathematics and persevere through their challenges, knowing that their true potential lies just beyond the horizon. 

Veda holds an MS in Biostatistics from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. She is next pursuing her PhD at NYU, where she will apply AI and machine learning methods to organize diverse medical data and develop predictive risk stratification algorithms for clinical use.

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