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Sarah Patino

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Choir
  • Church
  • Engineering
  • Latin Dance
  • Legos
  • Piano
  • Volleyball

Bio

I am a student at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton in Southern California. I am currently pursuing a career in biomedical engineering. I am very enthusiastic about these fields. I have been diligently working towards this goal during my years in high school. For years, I have sought out more advanced learning opportunities in biomedical engineering. Last year, I had the opportunity to participate in a two-week summer program in Regenerative Medicine and Disease Modeling. This summer, I attended a three-week residence program in Boston at the Biomedical Engineering program organized by the Boston Leadership Institute. In both programs, I researched stem cells, cancer cells and genetics, and conducted experiments based on these topics. During my high school years, I have pursued a top-notch education while giving back to community. I have mentored other students in their algebra journey and welcomed new students via the Link Crew program at my high school. I have also run for leadership positions such as my current role as Vice President for Concert Choir. Additionally, I am very proud of my culture, so I joined Latinx Club. There, I have practiced cultural Latin dances and performed in cultural assemblies and Latinx Culture Night at school. Outside of school, I played club volleyball for two different clubs. For the SoCal Jrs club during my sophomore year, I was team captain and Middle Blocker. For the Icon team, during my junior year, I played Right Side/Outside Hitter. We won gold for our bracket at our last tournament in May 2024. I am excited to begin college.

Education

Sunny Hills High

High School

2022 – 2025

Sunny Hills High

High School

2021 – 2025

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Majors of interest:
Biotechnology, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Medical school interest:
No

Career

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Biotechnology
Has nursing license:
No
John Young 'Pursue Your Passion' Scholarship
One day, doing research for an Honors biology project, I came across a study on tissue regeneration and stem cells. This instantly piqued my interest—a technology that had the potential to create entire organs? This led to my discovery of biomedical engineering, which seemingly combined everything I was passionate about. That year, I took every engineering class I could, alongside advanced chemistry. I attended a summer program that provided hands-on laboratory experience with stem and cancer cells. Our instructor was meticulous and exacting, and I worked closely with my teammates learning to properly handle cells. Although we were performing essentially simple experiments, such as mixing melatonin with breast cancer cells, I felt like I was doing something that really mattered. The potential stem cells held to help cure diseases in the future seemed unlimited. The next summer, I attended the Boston Leadership Institute, where I took classes and explored the connections between biomedical engineering and other fields like genetics. There, I discovered a keen interest in medical devices, after working to create an original prototype. My group focused on hand osteoarthritis, which has no cure, and the devices already in the market do not provide much help. Our design, a bionic hand, which would have finger extensions so that the patient would not have to bend their distal interphalangeal joints, would provide substantial help to patients in performing everyday tasks. Today, I am focused on making a difference in the medical devices side of the biomedical engineering field. In college, I hope to gain further laboratory experience as quickly as possible. More than ever, my continued research into medical devices has affirmed my commitment to improving peoples’ through biomedical engineering. Since many of my family members suffer from diabetes, I hope to be able to conduct research on diabetes treatments, in order to start working to design my own medical devices to help people with this condition. At heart, I’ve always wanted to make an impact in peoples’ lives, and I hope to do so as a biomedical engineer.
Sarah Patino Student Profile | Bold.org