Joseph Verry
Hometown: Coralville, IA
Education: University of Iowa
MD Mentors: Dr. Kasia Hryniewicz
Staff Mentors: Ross Garberich and Elizabeth Steele
Projects: 1) Long-term use of cardiotoxic medications in cardio-oncology patients
2) Outcomes Distal perfusion in VA ECMO
How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?
One of my family members, who is a doctor himself, told me about the program. I looked into the details of the internship and discovered that it was precisely the kind of experience I wanted before applying to medical school. Being able to do research while also spending time in the clinic and surgery is what I see myself doing in the future, so an opportunity to live it for a short while was perfect for me.
What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?
I started looking into medicine and specifically cardiology after a course of mine that covered cardiovascular biomechanics. I learned so much about the heart and really enjoyed how many research opportunities there are in the field. As a biomedical engineering student, I wanted to go into a specialty that I knew I could leverage my engineering skills and cardiology seemed to be a great fit.
What is your desired career in medicine?
Attending Physician
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Getting the opportunity to grow as a researcher along with experiencing clinical life from a health provider’s perspective.
What do you hope to gain from this experience?
I know this experience will give me much experience doing research and in clinical care, however I truly hope to gain a new sense of excitement for medicine that will motivate me even more in my future.
What are your plans after the summer?
After this summer, I will return to the University of Iowa for my senior year as a biomedical engineering student.
What is a fun fact about you?
I am the executive director of my campus’s nonpartisan student-led voter engagement initiative and have been working to educate student voters for the past 3 years.
