Alumni Spotlight: Q and A with Rachel Aber '16

Greenwood Alumna Rachel Aber ‘16 began residency in May 2024 at Yale New Haven Hospital. We caught up with Rachel and learned about her journey from graduating Greenwood to pursuing her dream career of becoming a doctor. 

I’ve wanted to become a doctor since elementary school. I’ve always loved hands-on learning, especially in science class. 

 

I ultimately wanted to attend Greenwood because of the opportunities to take accelerated courses in science and maths. I took those opportunities right from the beginning in grade 7 and was supported by my teachers to combine grade 7 and 8 maths in one year, setting me up for other accelerated and advanced placement courses later on in high school. 

My teachers – most notably, Ms. Joannu who taught calculus, Ms. Greflund who taught chemistry and Ms. Clark, who taught biology – had high expectations and challenged me to achieve my best in class, preparing me for post-secondary at McGill University. When I graduated from Greenwood, Ms. Joannu wrote me a card and it meant a lot to me knowing my teachers were cheering me on. 

 

Greenwood’s outdoor education and community service programs solidified values of helping others, resiliency, and perseverance. These values have stuck with me and helped me become a better doctor. When I was applying to residency programs, I found myself talking about my Greenwood Outdoor Ed experiences. They were so unique and taught me about overcoming adversity and staying resilient, especially on my dog sledding trip in -40 degree weather. 

 

After Greenwood, I attended McGill University and graduated with an Honours in Anatomy and Cell Biology. During undergrad, I led my own research project, where I studied mouse models representing cranio-facial abnormalities and defended a thesis. In August 2020, I went on to attend Medical School at the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv. Gaining exposure to a global health experience has always been important to me. My adventurous nature allowed me to go to a new school in a country where I did not know anyone. 

Some highlights from my Med School experience include my internship with Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) a Non-Profit organization that provides cardiac care to children from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. I also had the privilege of working with Eritrean refugees and focusing on women’s health issues. 

 

I started my intern year in Internal Medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital. I’m settling into life in Connecticut and it’s going really well! I’m currently working with a group at Harvard and Yale studying long-term health outcomes of patients with tick borne diseases common in New England. I’m involved in advocacy work that helps push policies forward based on the health care needs of refugees. I also work at a refugee clinic for those new to New Haven. 

 

I’m excited to continue developing skills to become a great physician. I am lucky to be at Yale because we see patients from all over the country, and I get to work with people from all walks of life. I’ve joined a global health distinction pathway that involves a six-week trip to Rwanda or another partner site where I will provide health care. I’m interested in integrating global health and critical care in conflict, and plan on working in critical care and ICU medicine as a fellowship after residency. 

 

People think there’s one path to achieving their goals, but what I’ve learned is that the path to success looks different for everyone. Focus on what you’re interested in and appreciate what makes you unique. Greenwood taught me this lesson and I can tell you it does translate into success in the real world.