Scholar Selected for Competitive Research Apprentice Program

Tia Weinberg (UC Berkeley Posse 3) is one step closer to adding “M.D.” to her name. She was one of a few chosen to participate in the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program, which aims to immerse students in the rigourous research culture at the University of California, Berkeley.

Placed in the UC San Francisco Patient Support Corps, Tia directly communicates with hospital patients to ensure they are receiving the best care possible from their physicians. She helps facilitate dialogue between patient and physician by tracking patients’ questions and taking detailed notes on their consultations. Her notes are available for patients to review to help them more fully understand their health and make informed decisions about their care.

“This opportunity has solidified my dream of becoming a physician because I can directly see the patient-physician relationship that forms from both ends,” says Tia. “Doctors can really provide the comfort and information that patients need to make the right decision.”

Tia has long been fascinated by health care. As a freshman at Granada Hills Charter High School, she began volunteering in the emergency room at a Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Panorama City. Greeting patients, stocking examination rooms and witnessing medical procedures offered a sense of what it would be like to be a doctor.

With her experience at UCSF, Tia is more excited than ever to pursue a career in healthcare. She plans to major in integrative biology. In her spare time, she also volunteers in the Cancer Resource Center at UCSF.