My Why

I’m a clinical pharmacist with specialized training in health services research. When I started my career 25 years ago, few pharmacists were involved in federally funded research. This was, and still is, a perspective that I felt was desperately needed, especially given how many scientific advancements revolve around medications. I was fortunate to receive a Career Development Award (K08) from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This grant was crucial for my research career, particularly in studying medication safety and the impact of pharmacists in helping patients manage their medications. With the growing complexities of health care—more diseases, more treatment options, and more insurance hurdles—federally funded research is essential to discover the best and safest ways to manage medications. 

Amanda Kennedy, Pharm.D., BCPS 
Professor of Medicine

This story was originally published on the United for Medical Research website.

My Why

I chose a career as a biomedical researcher because I want to help people through science and contribute to developing new treatments for people who suffer from joint pain. NIH support has been critical in my career—not just for me and my own research, but also for the dozens of trainees I’ve mentored who have gone on to technical careers in industry and academia.

Niccolo Fiorentino, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation

This story was originally published on the United for Medical Research website.

My Why

I am an NIH-funded researcher who studies how viruses that infect the respiratory tract highjack the host cells they require to grow. By understanding how viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infect human cells, we can discover the Achilles heel of these viruses and identify new ways of developing antiviral drugs. Studying the fundamental science of how viruses infect cells also teaches us a lot about how our cells function on a molecular level, which can reveal information that is important for a range of new discoveries and treatments. A large part of my job also is to train students how to conduct scientific research so they can be equipped with the skills and background to succeed in science, medicine, or a range of other jobs.

I am a scientist because my AP Bio teacher arranged for a small group of students to spend a week at our local college campus conducting research in a university lab. It was the first time I realized that science is not memorizing a collection of facts, or reciting formula someone else put in a textbook—it is a process for discovering new knowledge and finding out something about how the world works that no one else knows (until you share your discovery!).

Emily Bruce, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics

This story was originally published on the United for Medical Research website.

My Why

My family, and those dear to me, certainly have their share of syndromes for which biomedical research has made impressive and often unexpected gains toward treating. However, as an academic physician, and, importantly, as one who has not personally participated in biomedical research, I feel that my voice is unique here.

During my time as the Director of Pediatric Psychiatry for the Solid Organ Transplant Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, I was lucky to spend every week with brilliant researchers in organ transplant services, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, and psychiatry. The story I remember most was the incidental finding that children who were immunosuppressed to prevent the rejection of their organ transplantation would sometimes contract serious viral illnesses such as Epstein-Barr virus. These children would be admitted, and we would quickly withdraw their immunosuppressants. Thankfully and remarkably, many of these children recovered from the virus—and despite having had the immunosuppressants removed, their transplanted organs were not rejected. This led to a series of experiments in which animals were deliberately infected with the Epstein-Barr virus and then transplanted, leading to tolerance protocols that to this day have allowed people who have received transplanted organs in life-saving procedures to also forgo immunosuppressants. I remember the palpable excitement as the studies went forward.

Though much remains to be learned, it remains the case that this incidental finding opened up an incredible body of research, and thus hope for people receiving immunosuppressants for a variety of reasons. The incidental finding at Massachusetts General Hospital required quick mobilization of labs around the country, as well as funding opportunities, to explore how best to create protocols that would induce tolerance of transplanted organs.

Steven Scholzman, Ph.D. 
Chief of Child Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Psychiatry

This story was originally published on the United for Medical Research website.

My Why

Why rural family medicine? I think the overall vibe you get on your family medicine experience is incredible—these longitudinal relationships you develop with people, like having folks come into your office knowing you are just so invested in their longitudinal health. They come in and they share the goal they had set for themselves after your last visit and how they’ve made progress on that goal. And seeing the true joy and pride people have about something they’ve been doing for their health is just a really cool experience. And I think that’s just amplified in a rural community because it’s closer knit. It’s extremely rewarding because you’re seeing change in real time in the community and you’re also seeing the challenges your patients face, and you’re intimately familiar with those challenges, so you have a better understanding and thus a better ability to effect change. 

I think family medicine is probably one of the specialties that deals most closely with social determinants of health, so we really do have to be a voice in advocating for our patients—not just for the medicine, but for how our communities can be supporting people in the best way. I think a lot of what I try to do these days as a senior medical student going into residency is wait for the need to come to me. If I have a patient who says, “This is really just a challenge for me,” or, “This is becoming a real problem in our community,” just making space for that and saying, “How can I help?” because I think we all have the power to do that.

Molly Hurd
Larner Medical Class of 2026

This article is an edited excerpt from the October 1, 2025, episode of Vermont AHEC’s Let’s Talk podcast featuring Molly Hurd explaining why she chose a career in rural family medicine.

My Why

I was diagnosed with uveitis—a rare autoimmune disorder affecting the eye—as a child. Enduring constant eye pain and changes in my vision ignited a passion to not only comprehend my condition but also gain knowledge of the human body as a whole. I became amazed by its resiliency and adaptability—even while being attacked by a disease. My pursuit of medicine is driven by a thirst for understanding, with the goal to use that knowledge to positively impact my community. 

At a young age, coping with a serious diagnosis, I learned to advocate for myself while navigating the world of modern medicine, simultaneously consoling, and guiding, my immigrant parents. The stress of juggling my health, my parents’ concerns, and the suggestions of my medical team transformed me into an empathetic listener and diplomatic negotiator, ultimately inspiring me to pursue medicine. I aim to use these experiences to uplift and serve those around me. Ironically, this condition that has impacted my physical eyesight has also blessed me with a clear vision and sense of purpose. My unique perspective and personal insight from being a patient have put me in a position to help empower and represent underserved populations. 

In the future I hope to serve patients of all backgrounds and walks of life, drawing on my Spanish language skills and my own experiences as a patient to provide more empathetic, compassionate care. I hope to be involved in academic medicine, where I can teach, mentor, and inspire the next generation of physicians. I am deeply thankful for everyone who has believed in me and supported me along this journey.

Jesus Mendoza
Larner Medical Class of 2028

My Why

My 85-year-old mom has macular degeneration. Her eyesight has been failing for years and it significantly affects her quality of life. About two years ago, her doctor recommended a new treatment that required an injection of a drug into her eye every month. This drug was supposed to prevent or slow the progression of the condition. To our surprise, it not only stopped the progression but also significantly improved her eyesight in both eyes! This is an amazing drug that is improving the lives of many people with macular degeneration. Now, my mom’s eyesight has improved significantly as the result of a macular degeneration treatment made possible by biomedical research.

NIH research is critical to discovery of new therapies and treatments to improve the quality of life for all U.S. citizens. To cut back now would be a huge disservice and would cost far more in health care costs from untreated disease.

Marilyn Cipolla, Ph.D. 
Professor of Neurological Sciences

This story was originally published on the United for Medical Research website.

My Why

The motivation behind the work I do is to better understand our world and how we can successfully fit in it to the benefit of all organisms, not just humans. We cannot survive without our environment, and the connects between human health and nature are clearer than ever. I would like my work to increase our appreciation for and awareness of biology and nature locally, regionally, and globally, and our understanding of the clear and unbreakable connection between the two.

Julie Dragon, Ph.D., M.S.
Associate Professor of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics

My Why

Growing up, I watched multiple generations of women in my family—my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother—face barriers to accessing health care and education, and then witnessed the same women as they supported and provided care for others, both within and outside of our family. 

Because of my role models, from an early age I knew my contributions to my local community and society, as a whole, would be through improving the lives of women. This started as volunteering at shelters for women experiencing violence as a teenager, studying breast cancer and osteoporosis in college, and leading advocacy groups for women as a medical student. 

Ultimately, I chose a clinical career in emergency medicine, a setting where I could help the most vulnerable populations—including women in need—and combined it with a research career focused on improving prevention strategies for cardiovascular disease and stroke. 

Tracy Madsen, M.D., Ph.D. 
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine

My Why

I have dedicated most of my life to helping those most in need, which continues with my research supported by the NIH focused on children with medical complexity. It is my life’s honor to do this work and I truly believe it is my calling. The NIH support is what makes this possible and allows me to balance my clinical work in the emergency department with my research. My hope is to advance this research in the coming years to impact the millions of children with chronic health conditions living in the U.S., and their families.

I am an early-career pediatric emergency medicine researcher supported by the NIH on a career development award. This award has helped me develop into an independent scientist, learning new research techniques while advancing science in my area. Without that funding, I know I would not have the skills and time to reach my full potential as a clinician researcher.

I know that reduced NIH funding would mean worse health outcomes for children. It would also limit my potential to have a positive impact and promote health as a pediatric emergency medicine physician researcher. We are the leaders of medical research in the world, and if NIH funding is reduced or uncertain, it will certainly impact the health of the U.S. population and stifle our advances and leadership.

Christian Pulcini, M.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. 
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

This story was originally published on the United for Medical Research website.