Community Engagement Woven Throughout Biology Alumna’s Medical School Journey

A commitment to compassionate health care has followed Scherina Chi ’21 from high school, through Dominican and into medical school.

“I experienced the harsh realities of medicine at a young age when I lost my mom to cancer. This made me question if medicine was a good fit for me. However, I had a good relationship with my physician, who made a strong effort to listen to my health concerns and work with me,” Scherina says. “She humanized medicine in a way I had never experienced before. That's when I knew I wanted to highlight humanity in healthcare, like my physician had done for me.”

When searching for a university that would provide both academic rigor and meaningful opportunities to engage with and learn from the wider community, Scherina found what she was looking for only a few miles down the road from her high school in Novato, California.

Dominican University of California’s strong science program, which weaves hands-on research into the curriculum and has an outstanding track record preparing students for medical school, attracted Scherina’s attention. A generous scholarship put Dominican at the top of her list.

“I knew I would eventually be applying to graduate programs, so cost was a major factor when deciding on which college I wanted to attend,” she recalls. “As it turned out, I had a great education, learned from some exceptional mentors, and made some lifelong friends.”

When she arrived on campus, the biology major quickly engaged with the university’s service-learning program, where she worked closely with Health Hubs, Next Generation Scholars, and Marin Health. Post-graduation, Scherina remained involved with her community through serving at the Novato Teen Clinic.

“The qualities I admired in my physician were the same qualities embodied by so many of the community leaders at the organizations I was working with,” she says. “Their empathy, compassion, and leadership really shaped how I envisioned myself as a physician and the kind of impact they've made on our communities is exactly why I want to dedicate my life to service and advocacy.”

For two summers, Scherina interned with the City of Novato. The experiences taught her important lessons in leadership, communication, strategy, and diplomacy. Scherina worked in the Sustainability Department, which allowed her to combine her interest in both health and the environment while collaborating with city staff, residents, and community organizations. While Scherina enrolled at Dominican as a biology major, she later added minors in both community action and social change (CASC) and chemistry.

In Dominican’s science program, Scherina gained a network of academic and personal support. She also was selected for a summer internship with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of their Oak Ridge Institution for Science and Education (ORISE) program.

Victoria Estrella Worch, who works with students on academic advising, post-graduate advising, student support, program coordination, student activities, and leadership development, was invaluable during the medical school application process.

“Honestly, with me being a first-generation college student, Victoria Worch, my pre-med and major advisor, was such a big help in navigating the courses I needed to take to fulfill my pre-med requirements. I am extremely thankful for her,” Scherina says.

“I feel like Dominican helped lay down a strong foundation in my scientific knowledge, especially in organic chemistry and biochemistry, both of which have been very relevant in my first year of medical school so far. I also had a really good experience in the research methodology course (shout out to Dr. Randy Hall!). Figuring out how to apply my interdisciplinary knowledge in a research project definitely prepared me for medical school, as it mirrored the complexities, and I suppose "layers", to what I'm learning.”

In Fall 2024, Scherina started studies at Touro University of CA Medical School, a service-oriented school that aligns with Scherina’s values and goals.

Scherina has sound advice for pre-med students at Dominican:

“Build good study habits while in college. Not only will this help you with the MCAT, but also the insane load you're going to take on during medical school. Don't be afraid to try new strategies. Find what works for you.”

“Take advantage of the service-learning program! It's a great way to not only get service hours for your application, but really dive deep into learning more about socioeconomic issues impacting underserved populations in Marin, connect with our community members, and develop your cultural humility. I highlighted a lot of my service-learning experiences and was lucky enough to be accepted into a service-oriented school.”

“Don’t forget about your hobbies. I feel like that's what makes you stand out as an applicant (and what will eventually keep you grounded while you're in medical school).”