I stood and watched off to the side as the cart wheeled in through the wide double doors into Operation Room 1. It was my first day of shadowing a pediatric neurosurgeon, and so as I waited for the doctor to enter the room, I tapped my feet to the rhythm of an invisible beat and wrung my hands behind my back. A young boy with short-cropped brown hair lay propped against the pillows, his back straightening as he entered the room. He was young—he couldn’t have been older than 2 or 3—and he looked around with a gleam in his wide blue eyes. Clutching the edges of his blanket, he looked about the white room. He looked at me for an instant, just a second, just as long as he did for all the others in the room, and he tilted his head. So had I, I realized, as I straightened mine.
Kartik Iyer
Kartik Iyer is a pre-medical student at the University of Pittsburgh, where he double majors in Neuroscience and English Writing. He actively researches the neuronal basis of drug craving relapse, as well as potential treatment. During summers, he volunteers extensively with Food Lifeline, and has already delivered 5,000 meals to his hungry local neighbors. Since he achieved the Top 20 in the nation in the USA Biology Olympiad and a perfect SAT score in high school, he runs USA Biology Olympiad and SAT tutoring classes. In his free time, he enjoys writing and contributing to his writing group. He loves to explore the city and try new cuisines with his friends.