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Karina Stewart

720

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Bio

Hello, my name is Karina Stewart; I am a recent graduate of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. I received a Bachelor of Biology with an emphasis in Biomedical Sciences. I graduated with a 3.788 GPA and Magna Cum Laude. I recently was accepted into the Masters of Business Administration program at UCCS. I am scheduled to take the MCAT in September 2022 and plan to apply for Medical School in May 2023. The ultimate goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon specializing in the upper extremities and run/own my own medical practice. I have worked in the mining and construction industry throughout my college career and have been employed with Martin Marietta for 7 years. I am heavily involved with community and city projects. Being engaged in this industry has prepared me to be a more well-rounded individual. I have learned patience, business models, and how to effectively communicate, become more empathetic, and adjust to each individual situation and environment.

Education

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Master's degree program
2022 - 2024
  • Majors:
    • Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Bachelor's degree program
2019 - 2021
  • Majors:
    • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
  • Minors:
    • Medicine

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

  • Planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Medicine

    • Dream career goals:

      Orthopedic surgeon specializing in upper extremities

      Future Interests

      Advocacy

      Volunteering

      Entrepreneurship

      Nonie Weikum Memorial Scholarship
      A challenge that I have overcome as a military spouse is not for the faint-hearted. My husband suffers from severe depression, anxiety, and PTSD, known as post-traumatic brain disorder. He was diagnosed after his tours in Afghanistan before I met him. After some time, I realized his mental illness's severity; therefore, I began to work with him. I worked on reassuring him and having him speak about the things bothering him. I thought we were taking steps in the right direction. He had a PTSD nightmare on one quiet night, but this nightmare was unlike any other I have seen before. The night terror must have been of him overseas because of his unconscious actions. Unfortunately, he could not differentiate between me and his dream, and I received the repercussions of his dream. I called out his name more than three times, unknowing if he would come back to realize what had happened. I told him, "I almost did not make it." I am lucky to be alive right now. Without getting into too many details, I will state that I was one of the lucky ones. I only had a 23% chance of making out alive that night, and I am thankful that I called out to him, and he snapped out of the trance-like state. My greatest challenge was to continue to be by his side without me thinking that a nightmare had almost taken my life. The challenge continues, and I become nervous if he fidgets or moves while he sleeps. But I am his wife; I will continue to support him regardless of his troubles. We have acknowledged the problem, and we have come up with solutions to ensure that he will receive the treatment necessary. As for me, I have sought help and have therapy to help me process the incident. My husband has never raised his voice at me and has always been a very humble and sweet human being. Thus, a significant challenge is to differentiate PSTD and his true self. Most spouses do not speak of PTSD incidents, but I believe it is essential to understand that PTSD is genuine, and it is crucial to discuss the problems and acknowledge the issue. My challenge might be uncommon, but I believe a step to overcoming the challenge is to speak of it so there is awareness. As a spouse, it's one day at a time, one hour, and one minute. Each one is a step forward.