Hello! My name is Natalie Eichner and I am currently a first year medical student at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. I grew up in the Washington D.C. area and attended college/graduate school at the University of Virginia (Wahoowa!). While in school at UVa, I found my passion for using exercise as a form of "medicine" and became involved in clinical research to better understand how exercise can be prescribed to prevent and treat various chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Seeing how exercise empowered different types of patients from diverse backgrounds and cultures inspired me to chase my dream of becoming a physician. Unfortunately, most healthcare providers are provided little instruction on how to help their patients incorporate lifestyle changes into their everyday lives in order to lead healthier and happier lives. I chose to pursue a career in medicine to change the way physicians talk to our patients about things like prevention, lifestyle (physical activity, nutrition, stress management) and even quality of life. I want to be a part of the change that our healthcare system needs to move forward.