I was born and raised in Iran, and moved to the US when I was 16, arriving 2 days before my junior year of high school started (without knowing much English!). It was an eye opening experience. Once I became acclimated to my new home, I was better able to begin exploring my own interests: I attended the University of Delaware and graduated with a BA in Biology with departmental honors. Next, I took a year off to backpack around Europe alone; I love traveling! I have had the opportunity to visit over 20 countries, and still crave exploring even more. Upon my return, I started my first year of medical school at Jefferson Medical College, where I have continued to pursue my passion for travel: I volunteered at Hospital Metropolitano in Nicaragua over the summer. Since then, I have cultivated the chef, the photographer and the musician in me.