“I’m from the east coast and never ever in my dreams thought I’d come out here. My whole immediate family is in New England. We could talk to each other out the window if we want to. My mom said, ‘don’t ever look at the Pacific.

“Before beginning my path toward dentistry I lived in New York City. My friend and her coworker were visiting from Arizona and we met up for drinks. Happy hour turned into ‘regular hour,’ which then turned into a week of showing off the city.

“This past summer, my classmate, Tammy McCall, and I had the exciting opportunity to complete our health policy internship in Norway from June through August.

“I love to escape the masses, put on a backpack and explore the mountains, or pick up and move to a new place where I don’t know a soul. It’s thrilling to feel so vulnerable.

“I find that it’s hard to be sure about many things, and I try to stay open so I can move forward as things change. At the same time, there are so many things to be sure of. I’m sure that a positive attitude goes a long way.

“I love running around with kids because I feel free to be the goofy person that I am. And as a goofy person, science is easier to learn in an interactive and silly way.

“If I wasn't going to be an oncology nurse practitioner, I would absolutely run a bakery. I like to shake any extra clinical energy off by making ice cream, cheese, cream puffs, you name it. There's something joyful about creating something with your hands, and getting to share it with someone you love.

Capping off several weeks of intense debate and deliberation in the House and Senate over continued funding for the war and increasing reports of civilian and military casualties, the UCSF campus bore witness to a teach-in entitled "The Health Effects of the Iraq War," that sought to reconcile the conflict's daily occurrences with the state of the American economy and healthcare and research infrastructures through a series of detailed presentations and speeches.