Boston University Scholar Pursues Accelerated Medical Degree
Boston University Scholar Nisrine Rahmaoui has her sights set on medical school and is getting a head start. Through BU’s 4+1 dual degree program, Nisrine will earn two degrees in five years, graduating next spring with her bachelor’s and one year later with her master’s in human physiology. She plans to then pursue a Ph.D. and M.D. with the hope of practicing medicine and conducting medical research simultaneously.
This semester, as part of her master’s practicum, she is taking courses and working in orthopedic oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Nisrine was inspired to pursue medicine to help communities with disparate healthcare access and to be the kind of provider she wants to see in the world.
It’s a dream come true. Even though we experienced a pandemic along the way, we have shown that we can adapt. I don’t know where I’d be without my Posse.
“I have a lot of family members who have had health issues and don’t trust doctors,” says Nisrine. “By becoming a doctor, I hope to help my family and others regain that trust. Healthcare shouldn’t be scary; it should be approachable.”
Nisrine has relied heavily on her Posse and mentors to make it through college in the wake of a global pandemic.
“I can’t thank Posse enough for giving me the opportunity to attend college,” she says. “It’s a dream come true. Even though we experienced a pandemic along the way, we have shown that we can adapt. I don’t know where I’d be without my Posse.”
She credits the support Posse provides as a key part of her success in college and as a leader.
“Between interview coaching, resume building workshops, and an MCAT application seminar, I feel more prepared for my postgrad work and career,” says Nisrine. “I’ve had a lot of practice with leadership skills and refined them through Posse.”
Her leadership development through the Posse program has informed the kind of doctor she wants to be.
“The best leaders are the ones with humility, kindness, and a community-oriented mindset," says Nisrine. “I want to be approachable, forgiving, and see humanity in others. That’s what Posse Scholars do. That’s what doctors must do.”
Over the course of her career, Nisrine hopes to practice medicine in Boston, the Bay Area, and back home in Morocco.
