Profiles of Success

Justin Bryant
B.S. 2004, biology

Justin Bryant grew up in Purdue’s back yard and in a Purdue family. “My father attended Purdue for three years and my mother worked at Purdue in the financial aid department. My grandfather had also retired from Purdue,” he says. “Being from Lafayette, with family ties to the university, Purdue was a natural choice for me.”

Justin had been interested in studying living organisms since he was a child, and at first thought he’d like a career working with animals in some way, such as a zoologist. But an experience as an emergency medical technician led him to focus his interest on human health. “A course I took that introduced students to the myriad of careers in the field of human healthcare helped me to decide to pursue an education as a physician,” he says.

Justin says he feels very fortunate to have received a well-rounded education at Purdue, both academically and through his involvement in extracurricular activities. “One of my favorite memories is my time as a teaching assistant for a biochemistry course, CHM 333,” he says. “My mentor, Professor Hrycyna (chemistry), allowed me to be creative in thinking new ways to explain difficult concepts in chemistry to students. Her vivid passion for teaching led me to understand how important communication is to the field of science and medicine.”

Justin was a member of the Science Ambassadors. “[As a] Science Ambassador, I had a great deal of interaction with prospective students who were considering Purdue as their choice for college, and this allowed me to share my great experiences to help them make a decision that would shape their lives,” he says. “I was also fortunate enough to interact with some of the distinguished alumni and learn about their wide and varied accomplishments after graduating with a degree in Science from Purdue. These alumni and their stories were very encouraging, motivating, and inspirational for me to share with prospective students.” Justin was also very active in Tomahawk, the Service and Leadership Honor Society, a group of individuals who focus on helping others, both in the campus community and the surrounding cities, by volunteering their time and resources.

Justin will begin his second year as a medical student at Oklahoma State University. “Medical school is very different from undergrad,” he says, “but luckily, Purdue prepared me well for some of my science courses and that helped to ease the load during my first year.”

Justin is spending the summer in an internship at Community Hospital in Indianapolis, an experience that he says gives him a chance to explore medical specialties and “play doctor” for a week in each field. “So far, the fields that have interested me the most are obstetrics/gynecology and surgery,” he says. “Most importantly, I hope to choose a field of medicine that will allow me to participate in medical mission work, where I can make big a big difference in the lives of individuals from other countries in a small time frame.”

Justin encourages undergraduate students to make sure that they have a wide variety of experiences during their time at Purdue, both in coursework and outside activities. “You never know what experience will help you to fine tune your interests or introduce you to something totally different,” he says. “I also encourage students to be persistent in reaching their goals. Be it graduate school, employment, or professional school, never give up on your dreams and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Work hard, keep your long-term goals in focus, and you can achieve your dreams!”