Major: Kinesiology - Sports Medicine concentration
Minor: Medical Humanities
My name is Dani Morgen, and I am a junior majoring in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sports Medicine and minoring in Medical Humanities. I started Rice unsure of my major, but had an aspiration to work in the medical field in some capacity. I actually stumbled upon the Kinesiology-Sports Medicine major by accident after taking several of the classes without realizing it was a major. Growing up as a huge baseball fan (go Giants!), I always joked that nothing could possibly be more fun than working as a doctor or trainer for my favorite sports team. Now, even though I am still unsure of my medical specialty, the major feels like a perfect fit.
The Kinesiology-Sports Medicine major provides the opportunity to learn practical skills and knowledge that will be beneficial and extremely useful in my future workplace. Currently, I am a volunteer medical assistant at a neurology clinic. I love getting to put everything I learned in classes, such as Medical Terminology and Human Anatomy, into practice in the real world.
Recently, I became the Vice President of SARCOMERE (Students at Rice Committed to Optimizing Medical, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Education), the new organization for Sports Medicine majors. It has been a great experience to help create a new club that gives our unique major a community as well as offering networking and outreach opportunities. I look forward to watching the club continue to grow as we begin hosting events and expanding our impact on campus. I feel like the Sports Medicine major houses so many students with a variety of distinct goals, but who all share a similar passion. I love helping to foster a shared space for all of us.
Since my sophomore year, I have been involved with a research project at UCSF that is observing the cognitive effects of anesthesia on elderly patients following spinal surgeries. I value the ability to continually work with patients over such a long span of time and found that building relationships with people and providing lasting care is a huge motivation my desire to work in medicine. Completing classes like Human Physiology, Human Anatomy with Lab, and Statistics for the Health Professional has given me such a strong knowledge base for my research, and this knowledge will continue to help me throughout my medical career.
After my time at Rice, I hope to pursue a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies and practice as a PA. Being a Kinesiology major allows me to complete all of my prerequisite courses, while having plenty of time to explore other interests of mine like psychology, sport management, and event photography. I am so grateful to be part of a major that gives me the tools and knowledge that I will need to succeed in PA school, while being able to take a wide variety of classes and electives combining exciting experiences with a well-rounded education.