Friday, February 14, 2025
58.5 F
Roseville

Student juggles athletics and pre-med studies

TEMPE, Ariz. – Not much gets past Liz Harkin of Granite Bay, Calif. She”s competitive to the core, and that laser focus has brought her accolades on the soccer field and in the classroom.

One of the top soccer defenders in the country, with an invitation to the women’s national team and a draft offer from a pro team, the Arizona State University senior has finished her collegiate athletic career. But now she’s zeroing in on medical school, studying for the MCAT, shadowing an orthopedic surgeon at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital.

She’s also completing an internship with Mayo Clinic and working on an honors thesis on emergency medicine in Arizona.

‘A career in medicine has always been the goal for me,’ says Harkin, who has a 3.82 GPA and has earned First-Team Pac-10 All-Academic honors for three years. ‘Academics have always come first, and I came to ASU because it provides the best of both worlds, challenging both my academic and athletic abilities.’

She grew up hearing about defibrillators and pacemakers, since her father was in cardiology equipment sales in Granite Bay, Calif. She developed an affinity for caring for people with medical conditions through her special relationship with her 17-year-old brother, who has Down syndrome.

But the clincher was getting into the Barrett at Mayo Program, a partnership with the Barrett Honors College that offers summer internships at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She watched open-heart surgeries, did case studies with pathologists and shadowed doctors in clinical settings. The internship led to a Barrett-Mayo premed scholars program here.

‘There are about 40 of us in the program. We go to lectures, work with cadavers, work in the lab and shadow the (Scottsdale) Mayo physicians in the emergency room. It’s an amazing opportunity I’d never have had elsewhere.’

Her major at ASU is biology and society, a program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences which explores bioethics, policy and the foundations and history of bioscience.

‘I wanted a broader premed education than just science and technology. I wanted to explore other aspects of medicine.

‘I’m getting a foundation for how to deliver care, how to educate people. All the technical stuff is great, but you have to be able to communicate the ideas behind science.’

Meanwhile she’s involved in soccer tryouts in March, having been invited to earn a spot on the USA’s Under-23 Women’s National Team. She was on the Under-20 National Team in 2008, which won a gold medal at the World Cup in Chile.

She’s also in tryouts at FC Gold Pride, the Bay Area women’s professional soccer team. Both are part-time gigs, with seasonal play if she makes it through a series of tryouts.

Her professors have been very accommodating, Harkin says. And if she’s successful, she’ll defer medical school for a year or two.

‘I’m just honored to be invited by these teams. I’ll take the MCAT in May and start applying to medical schools in June. I’m going to continue juggling both. But I’ve never seen athletics as a career.’



Brighter Side

Trending

Find the lowest gas prices in Roseville, Rocklin, & Lincoln

Roseville, Calif. - Gas prices continue to hover around the $5 per gallon mark at many locations around South Placer County.

Open: Auburn Library’s temporary location

Auburn, Calif. - The Auburn Library has opened its new temporary location with modified services and the same helpful, friendly staff to help patrons navigate materials and lead library programming.

❤️Valentine’s or a Scam? Roseville PD reminds you to protect yourself against romance fraudsters

Roseville, Calif.- It's a new year. Are you or a family member looking for that someone special in 2025? Now, more than ever, people are using their smart phone for almost everything, including finding their soul mate

IICA Speech in Roseville

Our knowledgeable and compassionate team provides speech, language, cognitive, social, and feeding services to enhance the quality of our clients’ lives while empowering their caregivers through our unique team approach.

Sierra College President Willy Duncan earns international recognition for economic development efforts

In recognition of his efforts on the team to bring BOSCH to Placer County and his leadership with the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Sierra College Superintendent and President Willy Duncan has been named the recipient of the 2024 Community Partner Award

Topics

Find the lowest gas prices in Roseville, Rocklin, & Lincoln

Roseville, Calif. - Gas prices continue to hover around the $5 per gallon mark at many locations around South Placer County.

Open: Auburn Library’s temporary location

Auburn, Calif. - The Auburn Library has opened its new temporary location with modified services and the same helpful, friendly staff to help patrons navigate materials and lead library programming.

❤️Valentine’s or a Scam? Roseville PD reminds you to protect yourself against romance fraudsters

Roseville, Calif.- It's a new year. Are you or a family member looking for that someone special in 2025? Now, more than ever, people are using their smart phone for almost everything, including finding their soul mate

IICA Speech in Roseville

Our knowledgeable and compassionate team provides speech, language, cognitive, social, and feeding services to enhance the quality of our clients’ lives while empowering their caregivers through our unique team approach.

Sierra College President Willy Duncan earns international recognition for economic development efforts

In recognition of his efforts on the team to bring BOSCH to Placer County and his leadership with the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Sierra College Superintendent and President Willy Duncan has been named the recipient of the 2024 Community Partner Award

PCWA Hell Hole Reservoir project approved to increase storage

Auburn, Calif. - At its Thursday meeting, the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Directors approved a $5.8 million contract for the Hell Hole seasonal storage increase project, adding to the capacity of the Hell Hole Reservoir so it can

🍀Clover Valley’s long history predating Rocklin

According to Sierra College Geology Professor Dick Hilton, the valley started to form five million years ago as the Sierra range lifted and tilted westward. Runoff streams wore down millions of years of rock and gravel deposits

❤️ 7 wonderfully fun spring break destinations in California

Roseville, Calif. - We ♥ California! Exploring the breadth and length of the magnificent Golden State is life's never ending journey. With exciting travel opportunities and variety in all directions, Roseville enjoys a premium and convenient location to fuel those adventures.

Related Articles

Local Spotlight

Roseville Sheet Metal serving community’s heating and air needs for over 70 years

Roseville, Calif. - At Roseville Sheet Metal, we’re proud of our years of service to the Roseville area and look forward to helping you with your air conditioning and heating needs.

Stanford Ranch Family Dentistry in Rocklin serving the local community since 2000

Rocklin, Calif.- For nearly 24 years, Jason and Heather have grown their successful Stanford Ranch Family Dentistry practice by faithfully serving patients throughout the Rocklin, Roseville, and greater South Placer County region. Their business has grown to now employ over a dozen employees which helps them meet the growing demands of a successful local business.

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning serving Roseville and South Placer County for over 30 years

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning Inc. has been serving Placer County’s commercial and residential window cleaning needs since 1990.